Mavericks Rally From Down 15 To Beat Grizzlies, 121-116, Likely Advance in NBA Cup

The Mavericks made an improbable comeback after being down 15 in the second half

Dec 3, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) dribbles as Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) defends during the first quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks played their final qualifying game of the NBA Cup on Tuesday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, entering the night with a good chance to make the NBA Cup's Knockout Round as long as they won the game against Memphis.

Dallas also got a lot of players back who missed Sunday night's win against the Portland Trail Blazers, as Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, and Dereck Lively II all returned to action on Tuesday, and they were only missing Naji Marshall and Dante Exum.

With a mostly healthy lineup again, the Mavericks started Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson (who was on a minute restriction), PJ Washington, and Dereck Lively II. Memphis started Ja Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaylen Wells, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Brandon Clarke.

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This was back-and-forth action early on, with four lead changes in the first five minutes. Luka Doncic had seven early points for the Mavs, while Jaren Jackson Jr. had eight for Memphis, but a bucket by Dereck Lively II after having his shot blocked by Jackson gave Dallas a 16-15 lead midway through the quarter. This game had a playoff atmosphere early.

Doncic then hit a three-pointer and a couple of free throws to give him 12 in the quarter and extend their lead up to four. The scoring would dry up from there, as Dallas went scoreless for two minutes, and a putback dunk with the clock winding down from Memphis gave them a 26-25 advantage heading into the second quarter. Doncic was 3/4 in the opening quarter, every other Mav was just 5/15.

The second quarter started with a Dereck Lively posted over Jaren Jackson on a lob; then Lively had another dunk in transition on the next possession to put the Mavs back up three. Klay Thompson would get on the board with an elbow jumper soon after that, too. Doncic hit a three a minute later to go up six, their biggest lead of the game to this point, 38-32.

After a Grizzlies timeout, Luka hit back-to-back shots to give him 20 for the game and the Mavs a nine-point lead, and Dallas would eventually lead by 10. Memphis would respond with a 12-0 run, capped off by a three-pointer by rookie Jaylen Wells, giving them a 50-48 lead, but PJ Washington came right back down to hit a three to retake the lead. Dallas held the lead the rest of the half, going up by as much as four in the closing minutes of the half and taking a 60-57 lead into halftime, led by Luka Doncic's 24 points.

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Memphis started the second half on a 10-0 run in the first three minutes of the half. Dallas finally got on the board and scored six points in the span of about 30 seconds to get back within one. But the Mavs just could not score after that, with just 12 points in the quarter through the first eight minutes. That allowed Memphis to open up an 82-72 lead following a made three by backup center Jay Huff.

The Mavs started to score some points, but they couldn't get any stops on defense, and the Grizzlies would take a 95-82 lead into the fourth quarter. Ja Morant had four points in the final eight seconds of the period to extend that lead.

A transition three by PJ Washington would briefly cut the lead to single digits early in the fourth quarter, but they couldn't get the lead under nine for the longest time. It wasn't until an and-one converted by PJ Washington with about six minutes to go that the lead went down to six. But the good news was the Mavericks were already in the bonus.

The lead would stay around six for a few minutes before Luka Doncic hit a free throw to cut it to five, but Ja Morant came right back and hit a contested three. After a Luka Doncic three-pointer, Dereck Lively hit two free throws to cut the lead to three with a little over two minutes remaining. Doncic was then fouled 90 feet from the basket while in the bonus, hitting both before Spencer Dinwiddie hit a transition three to take a two-point lead. Dinwiddie hit another on the next possession from the exact same spot to go up by five.

PJ Washington would hit a clutch three after a Desmond Bane bucket to go up 119-113 with 26.1 seconds remaining. Ja Morant would miss a three-pointer, and Kyrie Irving would ice the game with free throws. The Mavericks would go on to win 121-116 and should advance to the knockout stage of the NBA Cup. It was an 18-5 run to close the game for the Mavs to win the game.

Luka Doncic led the way with 37 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists but was a shaky 10/16 from the free-throw line. After him, there were five other Mavs in double figures: PJ Washington (18 points, eight rebounds, seven assists), Dereck Lively II (17 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks), Spencer Dinwiddie (16 points), Daniel Gafford (11 points), and Kyrie Irving (10 points, just 3/14 shooting).

Dallas won this game because they shot 44 free throws to Memphis' 14. That kept Dallas alive when the offense looked shaky, as they ended with 25 turnovers.

Ja Morant had 31 points, Desmond Bane had 19, Jaren Jackson Jr. had 16, Santa Aldama had 15, and Jaylen Wells had 10.

The Mavericks will travel to play the Wizards on Thursday night.

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