MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- — Ja Morant shrugged off a sprained right ankle to score 22 points and add nine assists and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Dallas Mavericks 120-106 on Friday night to advance to the NBA playoffs.

Memphis secured the Western Conference’s eighth seed and will open against top-seeded Oklahoma City in a best-of-seven series beginning Sunday on the Thunder’s home court.

Morant was injured Tuesday night at Golden State in the Grizzlies' play-in opener and was questionable to play Friday.

“The doctors gave me all the help I needed in the simplest terms,” said Morant, whose availability wasn't certain until about 30 minutes before tipoff. “I wanted to be on the floor. I wanted to play this game and get the win.”

Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 24 points, and Desmond Bane had 22.

Anthony Davis led Dallas with 40 points and nine nine rebounds. Klay Thompson had 18 points.

Davis limped off in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a right calf injury. He returned briefly, but didn’t finish the game. He sat in the locker room after the game with a wrap and an ice bag on the leg. Davis said he tried to fight through the injury, knowing it was a win-or-go-home situation.

“We had our chances. Obviously, a tough loss,” Davis said.

Memphis saw a 25-point first-half lead melting away in the third quarter as the Mavericks crafted a 27-12 run spanning halftime. That brought the Mavericks' deficit to single digits midway through the third.

The Grizzlies stretched the lead back to 96-80 heading into the final quarter and Dallas never threatened the rest of the way.

Dallas, which beat Sacramento 120-106 on Wednesday night to earn a spot against the Grizzlies, didn’t seem to have the same spark to start the game, never leading against Memphis.

Zach Edey had 15 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, and Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 13 points.

Memphis lost all four games against Oklahoma City during the regular season, all by double digits. Jackson said the Grizzlies are looking at a different situation in the first round.

“A series is a series,” Jackson said. “You've got to stay level-headed. Whether you win a game or lose a game, it really doesn't matter until it's over.”

Like Memphis, the Mavericks limped into the end of the season, going 7-15 since March 1. In the midst of it, they also lost Kyrie Irving to left knee surgery after dealing with a trade that brought Davis to Dallas and sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers.

“An incredible season, but the change (trading Doncic for AD) and injuries, some would say we shouldn’t even be there,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. "So give those guys in that locker room a lot of credit.”

------

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Dereck Lively II vs. Zach Edey (P.J. Washington gains possession)	0	0
11:58	P.J. Washington bad pass (Ja Morant steals)	0	0
11:51	Jaren Jackson Jr. makes 22-foot three point shot (Desmond Bane assists)	3	0
11:29	Anthony Davis misses 20-foot pullup jump shot	3	0
11:24	Jaren Jackson Jr. defensive rebound	3	0
11:17	Naji Marshall blocks Jaren Jackson Jr. 's 4-foot driving floating jump shot	3	0
11:11	Zach Edey offensive rebound	3	0
11:11	Zach Edey makes two point shot	5	0
11:04	Klay Thompson misses 25-foot three point shot	5	0
11:01	Ja Morant defensive rebound	5	0
10:59	Ja Morant misses running pullup jump shot	5	0
10:58	Mavericks defensive team rebound	5	0
10:47	P.J. Washington lost ball turnover (Ja Morant steals)	5	0
10:41	Scotty Pippen Jr. makes 10-foot two point shot (Ja Morant assists)	7	0
10:22	Anthony Davis bad pass (Scotty Pippen Jr. steals)	7	0
10:22	Klay Thompson personal foul	7	0
10:05	Desmond Bane lost ball turnover (Dereck Lively II steals)	7	0
10:00	Klay Thompson makes 23-foot running pullup jump shot (Naji Marshall assists)	7	3
9:53	P.J. Washington shooting foul	7	3
9:53	Ja Morant makes free throw 1 of 2	8	3
9:53	Ja Morant makes free throw 2 of 2	9	3
9:40	Anthony Davis misses 22-foot three point jumper	9	3
9:35	Grizzlies defensive team rebound	9	3
9:15	Ja Morant misses driving layup	9	3
9:14	Zach Edey offensive rebound	9	3
9:14	Zach Edey misses 1-foot tip shot	9	3
9:11	Dereck Lively II defensive rebound	9	3
9:07	Dereck Lively II misses 9-foot two point shot	9	3
9:06	Anthony Davis offensive rebound	9	3
9:06	Zach Edey shooting foul	9	3
9:06	Anthony Davis makes free throw 1 of 2	9	4
9:06	Anthony Davis makes free throw 2 of 2	9	5
8:50	Jaren Jackson Jr. makes 22-foot three point jumper (Desmond Bane assists)	12	5
8:42	Naji Marshall out of bounds bad pass turnover	12	5
8:36	Desmond Bane bad pass (Naji Marshall steals)	12	5
8:32	Klay Thompson makes 24-foot running pullup jump shot (Naji Marshall assists)	12	8
8:15	Ja Morant makes two point shot	14	8
8:15	Dereck Lively II shooting foul	14	8
8:15	Ja Morant makes free throw 1 of 1	15	8
7:51	Naji Marshall makes 19-foot step back jumpshot (Anthony Davis assists)	15	10
7:34	Scotty Pippen Jr. makes 24-foot three point jumper (Ja Morant assists)	18	10
7:15	P.J. Washington misses 26-foot three point jumper	18	10
7:12	Ja Morant defensive rebound	18	10
7:08	P.J. Washington shooting foul	18	10
7:08	Ja Morant makes free throw 1 of 2	19	10
7:08	John Konchar enters the game for Jaren Jackson Jr.	19	10
7:08	Santi Aldama enters the game for Scotty Pippen Jr.	19	10
7:08	Dante Exum enters the game for Dereck Lively II	19	10
7:08	Ja Morant makes free throw 2 of 2	20	10
6:53	Anthony Davis lost ball turnover (Desmond Bane steals)	20	10
6:46	Santi Aldama misses 24-foot three point jumper	20	10
6:44	Zach Edey offensive rebound	20	10
6:44	Naji Marshall shooting foul	20	10
6:44	Grizzlies Full timeout	20	10
6:44	Zach Edey makes free throw 1 of 2	21	10
6:44	Zach Edey misses free throw 2 of 2	21	10
6:40	Desmond Bane offensive rebound	21	10
6:35	Ja Morant misses 9-foot two point shot	21	10
6:32	Dante Exum defensive rebound	21	10
6:10	Klay Thompson misses 22-foot three point jumper	21	10
6:07	Zach Edey defensive rebound	21	10
5:54	Ja Morant misses finger roll layup	21	10
5:51	Zach Edey offensive rebound	21	10
5:51	Zach Edey makes tip shot	23	10
5:37	Anthony Davis makes layup (Klay Thompson assists)	23	12
5:28	Desmond Bane makes 4-foot two point shot (John Konchar assists)	25	12
5:14	Anthony Davis makes 17-foot jumper	25	14
5:03	Santi Aldama makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot (Desmond Bane assists)	27	14
4:38	Anthony Davis misses 20-foot jumper	27	14
4:35	Santi Aldama defensive rebound	27	14
4:28	Santi Aldama misses driving floating jump shot	27	14
4:27	Ja Morant offensive rebound	27	14
4:27	Ja Morant makes dunk	29	14
4:27	Mavericks Full timeout	29	14
4:27	Jaren Jackson Jr. enters the game for Zach Edey	29	14
4:27	Marvin Bagley III enters the game for Desmond Bane	29	14
4:27	Max Christie enters the game for Naji Marshall	29	14
4:27	Daniel Gafford enters the game for P.J. Washington	29	14
4:27	Caleb Martin enters the game for Klay Thompson	29	14
4:15	Jaren Jackson Jr. blocks Caleb Martin 's 6-foot two point shot	29	14
4:09	Marvin Bagley III defensive rebound	29	14
4:07	Marvin Bagley III lost ball turnover (Dante Exum steals)	29	14
3:47	Dante Exum out of bounds bad pass turnover	29	14
3:37	Marvin Bagley III makes alley oop dunk shot (Ja Morant assists)	31	14
3:18	Daniel Gafford offensive goaltending turnover	31	14
3:00	Ja Morant makes 22-foot three point step back jumpshot (Santi Aldama assists)	34	14
2:40	Anthony Davis makes 7-foot driving floating jump shot (Caleb Martin assists)	34	16
2:28	Santi Aldama misses 22-foot three point jumper	34	16
2:26	Grizzlies offensive team rebound	34	16
2:26	Scotty Pippen Jr. enters the game for Ja Morant	34	16
2:26	Desmond Bane enters the game for John Konchar	34	16
2:26	Brandon Williams enters the game for Dante Exum	34	16
2:23	Marvin Bagley III offensive foul	34	16
2:23	Marvin Bagley III turnover	34	16
2:14	Brandon Williams misses two point shot	34	16
2:09	Jaren Jackson Jr. defensive rebound	34	16
2:07	Santi Aldama makes 24-foot three point shot (Scotty Pippen Jr. assists)	37	16
2:03	Scotty Pippen Jr. personal foul	37	16
2:03	Zach Edey enters the game for Marvin Bagley III	37	16
1:53	Anthony Davis misses 24-foot three point pullup jump shot	37	16
1:48	Santi Aldama defensive rebound	37	16
1:37	Desmond Bane misses two point shot	37	16
1:33	Anthony Davis defensive rebound	37	16
1:27	Daniel Gafford makes layup (Brandon Williams assists)	37	18
1:27	Jaren Jackson Jr. shooting foul	37	18
1:27	P.J. Washington enters the game for Anthony Davis	37	18
1:27	Daniel Gafford makes free throw 1 of 1	37	19
1:12	Santi Aldama misses 25-foot three point jumper	37	19
1:06	Brandon Williams defensive rebound	37	19
49.1	Caleb Martin misses two point shot	37	19
45.1	P.J. Washington offensive rebound	37	19
39.0	Max Christie makes 25-foot three pointer	37	22
27.1	Caleb Martin personal foul	37	22
27.1	Zach Edey misses free throw 1 of 2	37	22
27.1	Grizzlies offensive team rebound	37	22
27.1	Anthony Davis enters the game for Daniel Gafford	37	22
27.1	Jaren Jackson Jr. double lane violation	37	22
27.1	Caleb Martin double lane violation	37	22
27.1	Anthony Davis vs. Zach Edey (Scotty Pippen Jr. gains possession)	37	22
4.1	Desmond Bane makes 2-foot two point shot	39	22
0.0	Brandon Williams makes 3-foot two point shot	39	24
0.0	(00:00) [Mavericks] REF-INITIATED REVIEW (REPLAY SUPPORTS CALL)	39	24
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	39	24

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

FedExForum

Memphis, TN

Date & Time

1:30 AM, April 19, 2025

Coverage

ESPN, ERADM

Attendance

17,794

Referees

Courtney Kirkland, Sean Wright, David Guthrie, Ray Acosta

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
San Antonio	43	16	.729	W11
Houston	37	22	.627	L1
Memphis	22	36	.379	W1
Dallas	21	38	.356	L2
New Orleans	19	42	.311	W4

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Grizzlies beat the Mavericks 120-106 to set up a 1st-round playoff series with the Thunder

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