The Dallas Mavericks dropped a frustrating 102-96 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night, a game that highlighted many of the issues that have been building over the past week. The Mavs never found a consistent rhythm offensively, struggled to generate reliable shot creation, and failed to capitalize on key moments late. For a team trying to stay afloat without Anthony Davis, this matchup exposed how thin the margins have become.
Dallas got mixed production from its top scorers. Klay Thompson led the way with 22 points, one rebound, and zero assists on 41.2 percent shooting and 50.0 percent shooting from three. Brandon Williams followed with 18 points, three rebounds, four assists, and one steal on 54.5 percent shooting and 50.0 percent from deep. PJ Washington added 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks on 41.2 percent shooting and 20.0 percent shooting from three. Even with those performances, Dallas shot just 38.5 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three.
Memphis countered with a far more balanced attack. Santi Aldama posted 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block on 52.9 percent shooting and 40.0 percent from three. Zach Edey delivered a dominant interior performance with 12 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and four blocks on 66.7 percent shooting. Cam Spencer provided a major spark off the bench with 17 points, four rebounds, five assists, and one steal on 60.0 percent shooting overall and 60.0 percent from three. Their efficiency and physicality gave Memphis full control down the stretch.
All in all, with both teams shooting under 41 percent, this game was a true grind and a test of patience and stamina for the players. For the Mavericks especially, there is plenty to unpack from a night that slipped away in familiar fashion. Here are the three biggest takeaways from Dallas’ disappointing performance.
1. Klay Thompson Had His Best Game Of The Season, But It Wasn’t Enough
Klay finally delivered the breakout performance the Mavericks have been waiting for, finishing with 22 points and one rebound on 41.2 percent shooting and 50 percent from three (2-2 FT). It was easily his most confident and assertive offensive showing of the year, as he looked comfortable hunting shots, relocating off the ball, and stepping into rhythm jumpers.
Klay had been struggling this season with career-low marks across the board, but he has been waking up lately as the situation has gotten more dire for Dallas. Tonight, his efforts were in vain as the rest of the squad struggled to generate anything offensively. In the end, the burden was simply too heavy for the 35-year-old guard to carry, and not even one of his signature shooting displays could hide how lost the Mavericks looked on both ends of the floor.
2. Mavericks Frontcourt Got Dominated On The Boards
The biggest difference in this game showed up on the glass, where the Mavericks’ frontcourt was thoroughly outworked from start to finish. Dallas finished with just 41 total rebounds compared to Memphis’ 61, a massive gap that shaped the rhythm of the night. The Grizzlies repeatedly punished the Mavericks with second-chance opportunities and physical interior play, exposing a Dallas frontline that struggled to match their energy or presence around the rim.
What is worse for the Mavericks is that they added Anthony Davis last season to address this problem. Had he been on the floor tonight, the results could have been very different, but his status remains uncertain. Without him, Dallas is too vulnerable in the frontcourt, and we saw that tonight against Memphis as Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington repeatedly failed to defend the rim.
3. Grizzlies Played Physical Game, But Lost Momentum Without Their Stars
Memphis came out with a clear game plan: overwhelm Dallas with physicality, control the pace, and attack the paint at every opportunity. That approach worked early, especially as the Grizzlies bullied the Mavericks on the boards and dictated the tone defensively. But without Ja Morant or Jaren Jackson Jr. available, their offense hit long dry spells whenever the bench unit took over, and the momentum slipped. Even in a win, the lack of star firepower was obvious and nearly opened the door for a late Mavericks comeback.
At 6-11, it has been a rough season overall for Memphis, and it is not going to get any easier. Tonight, at least, they were able to stop the bleeding with a win thanks to stifling defense, relentless scoring efforts, and physical play under the rim. That is a sharp contrast to the Mavericks, who are in limbo without Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.
