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.
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end of listMorant 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 tip-off. “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 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. Amid it all, 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.”
Herro scores 30 points to lead Heat past Hawks
Through the first half of Miami’s NBA Play-In Tournament elimination game at Atlanta, Heat backup guard Davion Mitchell did not look a contender to finish as a star of the game.
Mitchell missed each of his four shots in the first half and had only one point. At the end of regulation, he still had only seven points.
Then something clicked for Mitchell. After the Heat entered overtime tied with Atlanta at 106, Mitchell made three of four shots – all 3-pointers – in the extra period to help lead Miami to a win on Friday night. Mitchell finished with 16 points and helped Miami advance to the playoffs, where it will face Cleveland, the No 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Heat became the first No 10 seed in either conference to make the playoffs since the current play-in format was launched in the 2020-21 season. Miami also became the first play-in team to advance with two road wins.
Tyler Herro added two 3s in overtime to lead Miami with 30 points.
Herro’s scoring lead was expected. Mitchell’s starring role was a surprise. He warmed up for the extra period by making a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter.
“For him to struggle like that in the first half and have that kind of fourth quarter and overtime really speaks to his character,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said of Mitchell.
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro passes behind Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels during the second half at State Farm Arena [Dale Zanine/Reuters]
Mitchell said the support of Spoelstra and his teammates helped give him the confidence to keep shooting, especially in overtime.
“I feel I was forcing it in the first half, trying to do too much,” Mitchell said.
“I just kind of re-set in my mind … and let the game come to me. … I just believe in the work I’ve put in. Even if I’m missing shots, it’s OK.”
Mitchell averaged 7.9 points, but scored 15, making each of his two 3-pointers, in Miami’s at Chicago on Wednesday night in its first Play-In Tournament win.
Mitchell’s big game against the Hawks came in his return to his home state. Mitchell was born in Hinesville, Georgia, and began his college career at Auburn before transferring to Baylor. He helped Baylor win its first NCAA championship.
Mitchell began his NBA career in Sacramento and was acquired by Miami from Toronto in a five-team trade on February 6 that sent Jimmy Butler to Golden State.
Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies
