Mavericks Drop Fifth Straight in Loss to Grizzlies in Injury-Plagued Matchup: “We Couldn’t Get Out of That Hole”

The Dallas Mavericks (20-16) entered Monday night’s 119-104 loss against the Memphis Grizzlies (24-13) at FedEx Forum facing significant adversity. Without Luka Dončić (left calf strain) and Kyrie Irving (lumbar back sprain), the Mavericks leaned on a makeshift lineup in hopes of stealing a win on the road that featured Naji Marshall and Klay Thompson as the backcourt. Instead, the Mavs have lost five consecutive games entering the second night of a back-to-back.

Despite a promising start featuring a 12-point lead, Dallas could not overcome Jaren Jackson Jr.’s dominant performance and Memphis’ relentless ability to get to the free-throw line. Jackson, who has built an impressive All-Star campaign averaging 22.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists this season, set the tone with 35 points on a night Ja Morant and Desmond Bane headline the lengthy list of Grizzlies’ sidelined players.

Strong Start for Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks came out aggressive, racing to a 36-26 lead by the end of the first quarter. P.J. Washington set the tone early, scoring nine points in the opening frame by attacking downhill and converting on jump shots. Washington’s versatility shined as he mixed mid-range pull-ups with strong drives to the rim, exploiting mismatches in Memphis’ defensive rotations.

Not only did the Mavericks start a non-traditional backcourt with Marshall and Thompson, but they deployed a big frontcourt with Washington on the wing next to Maxi Kleber and Dereck Lively II. Kleber played 22 minutes, finishing with four points and two rebounds, but is viewed as a connective piece with his size and defensive versatility.

“To start with one big, we wanted to see one of the biggest lineups we could put out there against their offense,” Kidd explained. “I thought that group did a really good job getting us off to a good start. We had a great first quarter, but that second quarter set us back. We were still in the game, but we came out flat in the third.”

Washington finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds but struggled with efficiency as the game progressed—finishing the night shooting 7 of 22 from the floor. With Dončić and Irving sidelined, Washington acknowledged the need to adjust his offensive approach to help overcome the lack of two superstar guards who tend to control the game offensively.

“I’m just trying to be more aggressive, get to the rim more, find my teammates, and control the game,” Washington said. “I try to keep everyone’s confidence up and play with pace.”

Washington’s early scoring was complemented by Klay Thompson, who added seven points in the quarter, including a smooth pull-up three-pointer in transition. Thompson would finish with 15 points, though his shooting cooled off in the later periods as his night ended with him shooting 5 of 16 overall despite being 3 of 8 from the perimeter.

Naji Marshall was equally aggressive. He scored six points in the first quarter, consistently found lanes to the basket in transition, and made contact to earn trips to the free-throw line. Marshall finished with 16 points and six rebounds, continuing to impress in his expanded role.

“Great. What did he have? 16. 16, man – you can’t be mad at that,” Dereck Lively II said of Marshall’s performance in his return. “He was on the offensive boards, talking to us on defense, giving us extra energy and effort.”

Spencer Dinwiddie came off the bench and contributed immediately, knocking down two timely three-pointers to extend the Mavericks’ lead to double digits. Dallas shot an impressive 53.8% from the field in the first quarter, forcing Memphis into six turnovers while limiting their offensive flow.

“We had a great first quarter,” coach Jason Kidd said. “I thought we set the tone early, but the fouls in the second hurt us. We need to build on that energy but sustain it for four quarters.”

Memphis Grizzlies Respond with Dominant Second Quarter

The momentum shifted dramatically in the second quarter as Memphis tightened up defensively, and Jackson began asserting his dominance. The Grizzlies scored 12 straight to take their first lead of the night as part of an 18-7 run that gave the team a 56-55 advantage at halftime. Memphis outscored Dallas 93-68 after the first quarter, scoring 30 or more points each period.

Jackson was aggressive, scoring eight points in the quarter while relentlessly attacking the paint and drawing contact. His ability to finish through physicality and his craftiness around the rim created problems for Dallas’ frontcourt.

Dallas’ offense sputtered in the second quarter, shooting just 32% from the field. Thompson’s early success evaporated, as he missed all five of his attempts during the frame, many of which were open looks from beyond the arc. Kidd was content with the shot quality the team generated in this game after shooting 40.8% overall on the night and 36.1% from deep on 36 attempts.

“I thought the guys did a great job executing,” Kidd said. “We had a lot of looks in the paint that just didn’t go down – floaters and layups we’ve made before but missed tonight.”

The Mavericks committed seven fouls in the quarter, putting Memphis in the bonus with over five minutes remaining. The Grizzlies capitalized, attempting 18 free throws by halftime compared to Dallas’ eight. Memphis finished 27 of 35 from the free-throw line, underscoring their ability to generate points even when their perimeter shots weren’t falling.

“That second quarter set us back,” Kidd added. “We had some looks that didn’t go down, and they were in the bonus early. We couldn’t get out of that hole, and they made us pay at the line.”

Washington echoed Kidd’s thoughts, pointing to the fouls as a key factor in the shift.

“They shot 35 free throws to our 15, so obviously we’ve got to do a better job of not fouling, keeping guys in front of us,” Washington said. “I think that slowed our pace on the offensive end. Obviously, we lost because of it, so it’s got to be better – not fouling and just being more solid on the defensive end.”

Jay Huff provided a spark for Memphis, connecting on two crucial three-pointers during the quarter. One of his threes tied the game at 48-48 with just over three minutes left, shifting momentum further in Memphis’ favor.

Daniel Gafford, who had five points, left the game midway through the second quarter with a left ankle sprain and did not return, further complicating Dallas’ defensive efforts. The impact of mounting injuries has become significant for the Mavericks.

“Yeah, it’s a sprained ankle, I think. We’ll see how he feels, but he’s going to be out for some time,” Kidd said. “Unfortunately, it’s part of the game. It feels like we’re losing a guy every day. It’s next-man-up mentality.”

Washington also noted the impact of Gafford’s absence, expressing frustration over the outcome. Regardless, Washington believes the Mavericks should have won the game, but they had some shortcomings in execution in key areas, preventing a victory.

“Gafford getting hurt hurt us. I think we should have won,” Washington said. “If we played a little better, we could have had a different outcome.”

Jaren Jackson Jr. Takes Over After Halftime

Memphis built a 10-0 run with 9:08 remaining in the third quarter and never trailed through the remainder of the game. Jackson’s relentless scoring barrage carried into the third quarter, where he tallied 13 points. He repeatedly punished Dallas in the post, utilizing his length and strength to score over multiple defenders.

“He puts a lot of pressure on the defense,” Kidd said about Jackson. “I thought we did a good job containing him and making it tough. He earned his points tonight. He was really good.”

A corner three midway through the quarter highlighted Jackson’s offensive versatility as he stretched the floor and dominated inside. He finished the game with 35 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists, capping off one of his most complete performances of the season. Lively did his best to hold his ground defensively, registering 14 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks. Despite his best efforts, Jackson’s physicality and finesse proved too much to contain.

“We did a good job containing him early,” Lively said. “But once he got into rhythm, he was tough to stop. He’s a great player, and we need to do a better job collectively.”

Marshall and Jaden Hardy tried to respond for Dallas, but Marshall missed all four of his shots in the quarter, while Hardy’s back-to-back threes provided a brief spark. Hardy finished with 15 points on 5 of 10 shooting. However, Memphis consistently maintained control, entering the final period with an 87-80 lead.

Dallas Mavericks Cut the Lead, but Memphis Grizzlies Close Strong

Dallas made one last push in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to five following a Thompson three-pointer and a layup from Washington. However, Memphis’ ability to control the pace and get to the free-throw line prevented the Mavericks from making serious inroads. Along the way, Dallas had costly turnovers—finishing with 15 overall—that prevented a more impactful rallying effort from being possible.

“We had turnovers that led to fast break points,” Kidd said. “Sometimes we fouled them in transition, and they got free throws. We had good looks – the ball touched the paint but just didn’t go down.”

Jackson’s ability to draw fouls consistently put Dallas at a disadvantage, and a defensive breakdown allowed Scotty Pippen Jr. to knock down a corner three that effectively sealed the game. Memphis closed the contest with a 10-2 run, punctuated by Jackson’s and-one finish.

“They were in the bonus, and we fouled them too often in transition,” Kidd said. “That’s tough to overcome when you’re trying to cut a lead.”

Pippen finished with 18 points, including three three-pointers, while Jaylen Wells added 17 points and 11 rebounds. Memphis out-rebounded Dallas 55-50 and dominated the paint, outscoring the Mavericks 52-48 inside.

Looking Ahead

The Mavericks return home to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night, aiming to snap their five-game losing streak. Dallas must continue to navigate not having Dončić and Irving for the foreseeable future. Dončić is expected to miss most of January at least, while Irving remains without a clear timetable for a return but will at least be out for potentially up to two weeks.

Beyond the Mavericks’ star-studded backcourt being sidelined, as the team regained Marshall from suspension, they appear to be losing Gafford for some time. Danté Exum, who underwent wrist surgery in training camp, also remains without a revealed target date to make his season debut.

The Lakers recently acquired former Maverick Dorian Finney-Smith from the Brooklyn Nets, adding defensive versatility to their lineup. According to the latest injury report, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are both probable to play.

“They’ve got LeBron and AD, so you have to deal with that pick and roll,” Kidd said about the Lakers. “Now, with Dorian, they have another defender who can stretch the floor and guard multiple positions. We’ll have our hands full.”

Memphis will host the Houston Rockets on Thursday, continuing their surge in the Western Conference standings.