3 Takeaways From Mavericks' Loss to Grizzlies

Dallas fell in their fifth straight game on Monday

Jan 6, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Jay Huff (30) drives to the basket as Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (2) defends during the third quarter at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks fell 119-104 to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night, making it the fifth straight loss for the Mavs. They're still without Luka Doncic, and Kyrie Irving has been ruled out for at least 1-2 weeks with a bulging disc in his back. Wins will be tough to come by, but this was a winnable game, as Memphis was playing without Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, GG Jackson, and more.

Dallas led by 10 for a decent chunk of the first half, but a 14-2 run toward the end of the first half gave the Grizzlies the lead. A strong start to the third quarter for Memphis would put them up by double-digits, and they wouldn't look back from there. The Mavs could get it down to five a few times in the fourth, but they ran out of offense and kept sending the Grizzlies to the free-throw line.

Which is where we will start our three takeaways.

READ MORE: Mavericks Lose Fifth Straight as Jaren Jackson Jr. Carries Grizzlies to 119-104 Win

1. Absurd Free-Throw Differential

The Grizzlies shot 27/35 from the free-throw line, while Dallas was 11/15. There were maybe a couple of iffy calls, but otherwise, Memphis was just much better at getting to the basket and drawing fouls, something they needed to do while being down so many star players. And in a game the Mavericks lost by 15, losing the free-throw battle by 16 was the key difference.

2. An Unlikely Game-Changing Player

The Mavericks didn't have any issues going at Zach Edey when he was in the game, and he finished as a team-worst -5 for the Grizzlies. So they turned to Jay Huff, who completely changed the game for Memphis. His floor-spacing ability, evidenced by a 3/6 performance from three-point range, opened things up for Jaren Jackson Jr., who had a monster game. Had they stuck with Zach Edey for most of the game, there's a decent chance Dallas would have come away with a win.

3. No Go-To Scorers

Dallas' biggest issue without Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving is they have no one who can consistently get a bucket. Ideally, when Dallas has those two in the lineup, this isn't something they'd have to worry about. But when they're out, it's a noticeable lack of playmaking and shot creation. When Dallas got the lead down to five late in the game, they had a few chances to cut the lead further, but they couldn't generate a good shot. An underrated trade target could be someone who can lead a bench unit as a lead guard and be a spot starter, if they can find one available.

READ MORE: Mavericks' Kyrie Irving Expected to Miss 1-2 Weeks With Latest Injury

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