The Dallas Mavericks sealed the West Wild Card Spot in the quarter-finals of the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup with a 121-116 win over the Memphis Grizzlies at the American Airlines Center in Dallas tonight. The Mavericks overturned a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to seal this win over the Grizzlies, who came into tonight having won seven straight.Â
Luka Doncic had another incredible night with 36 points (11-22 FG), 12 rebounds, and four steals while P.J. Washington contributed 18 points (6-10 FG), eight rebounds, and seven assists. Spencer Dinwiddie was a clutch hero for the Mavs and ended the game with 16 points (5-10 FG). Dereck Lively had 17 points (7-10 FG) and 11 rebounds with three blocks, but Kyrie Irving struggled mightily with just 10 points (3-14 FG).
Ja Morant tried his best with 31 points (11-22 FG) but the Grizzlies couldn’t keep up. Desmond Bane scored 19 points (8-14 FG) while Jaren Jackson Jr. had 16 points (5-14 FG) and seven rebounds in the loss. Santi Aldama had a solid performance with 15 points (7-8 FG) and eight rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to earn the win tonight.
Let’s take a look at the factors behind the Mavericks pulling this win out.
A Major Free Throw Disparity
There is a major asterisk that Grizzlies fans are already putting on this Mavericks win, as Dallas shot 44 free throws on the night to Memphis’ 14. This disparity simply ensured the Grizzlies couldn’t keep up offensively, especially in the fourth quarter where the Mavericks received 26 free throws while the Grizzlies were given only three.
This is going to be contentious. The Grizzlies played aggressive defense the entire night which led to multiple defensive possessions where they made illegal contact. The referees could have been even more egregious with how they handed out fouls given Memphis was being aggressive on-ball with multiple instances of hand-checking or forcing Mavs players into rough entries on drives. However, the disparity being as large as it is makes little sense.
The Mavericks also played aggressive defense at times in this game. While they minimized contact if the calls held the same standard as the one being called against the Grizzlies, the free throw totals would look similar. There should be a disparity given Memphis was undoubtedly the more aggressive team, but a difference of 30 free throws doesn’t seem right.
This shows referees need to be more consistent in how they call games for 48 minutes, as many of the fouls called against the Grizzlies in the fourth were no-calls in the first three quarters, which likely led to the disparity being as large as it was throughout the game and especially in the fourth quarter.
Marcus Smart’s Costly Plays
Marcus Smart (0-7 FG, 2 TO) is supposed to be a veteran defensive leader for the Grizzlies and has had moments of defensive brilliance this season while being a below-average offensive threat. Tonight, even his defense couldn’t bail him out as Smart overplayed two possessions in clutch time which swung the momentum in Dallas’ favor majorly.
After Luka Doncic sank a three-pointer and the Grizzlies had an empty offensive possession with a five-point lead, Doncic tried another three which was a short airball. Instead of letting the ball go out of bounds and securing the possession, Smart decided to jump out of bounds to save the ball and involuntarily gave the possession back to the Mavericks.
Two possessions later, with two minutes left on the clock and the Grizzlies having a three-point lead, Smart carelessly committed a personal foul on Doncic after the guard secured a defensive rebound, sending him to the line to make it a one-point game. Spencer Dinwiddie would hit a three on the next Mavs possession to give them the lead, something they held onto after PJ Washington and Dinwiddie again hit two more outside jumpers.
Smart’s defense was lackluster, especially on Doncic, but these two plays killed any chances of the Grizzlies holding onto the win as he gave Dallas too many offensive opportunities to seal the win.
Luka Doncic Is Back To His Best
Luka Doncic played his second game since returning from injury and had another big offensive night with great efficiency. It’s clear that Doncic’s week-long absence has allowed him to work through more than just the wrist injury he was listed out with, as Doncic is moving better on the court overall. He looks responsive and has had greatly improved defensive effort, intelligently plucking out four steals on the night.
Luka has put up 36.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists on 56.5% from the field and 47.4% from three in the two games he’s played in December already, putting him on pace to return to MVP conversations, especially with the Mavericks’ success right now.Â
They’re tied for the No. 3 seed with a 14-8 record, the same as the Grizzlies they just defeated tonight. If the Golden State Warriors lose to the Denver Nuggets, the Mavericks and Grizzlies will remain tied for the No. 3 seed.
Doncic’s improved defensive effort and offensive efficiency bodes well for the Mavericks, as a healthier Luka is adjusting better to the Mavericks’ new offense where he’s averaging the second-lowest usage rate of his career after his rookie season.
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