The Grizzlies booked the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
The Memphis Grizzlies led by Jaren Jackson Jr. ‘s 24 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, ended the playoff contention race for the Dallas Mavericks in the final game of the 2025 Play-In Tournament. The Grizzlies occupied the eighth seed in the Western Conference, and will now be up against the table-toppers, Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round clash of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
The Mavericks made it to the final game by taking down the Sacramento Kings 120-106 on Wednesday. On the other hand, the Grizzlies entered the game on the back of a 121-116 loss to the Golden State Warriors. In Friday night’s game, the Mavs were led by Big Man Anthony Davis, who came up with a game-leading performance of 40 points, nine rebounds, and two assists. However, his effort clearly fell short, and Dallas was ousted from the playoffs after making it to the NBA Finals in the previous season.
The game saw the Grizzlies starting Ja Morant, who received two injections in his ankle, Scotty Pipen Jr., Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Zach Edey. On the other hand, the Mavs had Naji Marshall, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II.
The Grizzlies led the Mavs right from the beginning, and quickly got a 7-0 lead over the counterparts. Klay Thompson finally got his team on board with a wide-corner three. Morant played admirably with his ankle sprain and poured in 12 points on 3-for-7 shooting and was 5-for-5 on free throws. Davis posted eight points for the Mavericks, as they trailed 39-24 at the end of the first quarter.
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The Grizzlies continued to be hot in the second quarter and began with an 8-0 run. Zach Edey matched for his career-high with five offensive rebounds while Desmond Bane tallied 15 points and provided five assists. Morant scored 16 points and three assists. On the other hand, Davis led the Mavs with 22 points. The Grizzlies entered halftime with a 66-49 lead shooting 50%, including 43.8% from the three.
After the break, Davis posted 14 points, while Jaren Jackson Jr. added 22 points for Grizzlies. The Grizzlies ended the third quarter with a 96-80 lead, which further extended to them earning a 120-106 win and acquiring the eighth spot in the standings.
For the winners, Bane and Morant posted 22 points apiece while Zach Edey came up with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and one assist. Scotty Pippen Jr. tallied 13 points, two rebounds, and two assists while Santi Aldama scored 11 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
On the other hand, apart from Davis, no other player managed to move past the 20-point mark. Thompson added 18 points, three rebounds, and three assists while Brandon Williams added 16 points, three rebounds, and seven assists.
As mentioned, the Grizzlies will now lock horns with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first-round clash of the 2025 playoffs. They will clash against each other in the best-of-seven series, starting Sunday, April 20 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma. The winner of the series will advance ahead in the Western Conference semifinals.
Also Read: Do NBA teams get bonuses for reaching Play-In tournament?
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