Grizzlies Secure Playoff Spot with Win Over Mavericks, Face Thunder Next

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The Memphis Grizzlies clinched a playoff berth with a 120-106 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA play-in tournament on Friday night.

Jaren Jackson Jr. was instrumental in the win, scoring 24 points and pulling down seven rebounds, while star guard Ja Morant contributed 22 points. The victory sets Memphis up for a first-round playoff matchup against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Grizzlies faced a daunting challenge after their recent loss to the Golden State Warriors, which had placed them on the brink of elimination. Morant initially entered Friday’s game as a game-time decision. However, a motivating text from Jackson Jr. spurred the team into action.

“Setting the tone, I felt like us three was pretty much locked [in] the whole time,” Morant said, referring to himself, Jackson Jr., and teammate Desmond Bane. “As soon as the Warriors game was over, we pretty much locked in on what we had to do to get to this point. Trip [Jackson Jr.] sent us a little paragraph earlier. Me and Des responded, and it pretty much was enough said. We already knew what we was going out there to do.”

Bane, who added 22 points and nine assists during the match, echoed Morant’s sentiments regarding the impact of Jackson Jr.’s message. “We’ve had a nice little chat running all year long and been able to pinball different things off of each other,” Bane said. “I needed to hear it and I’m sure Ja needed to hear it too coming into the game tonight. And our response was just, ‘Let’s march. Let’s do it. Let’s put our best foot forward, and let’s go do it.’”

The Grizzlies will face the Thunder in Game 1 of the first round, set to tip off on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. EST at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center. As they head into the series, the momentum from Friday’s triumph might prove crucial as they aim to advance further in the playoffs.

Published Apr 19, 2025