Undermanned Grizzlies pull off road upset victory vs Mavs
Bodies kept falling, but the Memphis Grizzlies kept playing.
Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant didn't play due to injuries, then Marcus Smart left the game in the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night at American Airlines Center. None of that slowed Memphis down against one of the Western Conference's top teams.
The Grizzlies secured a season-high in offensive rebounds and used their defense to stifle the Mavs in a 120-103 win.
This is the Grizzlies' third consecutive win.
All three victories came on the road against Western Conference team's with playoff aspirations.
Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies (1423) with 32 points. Kyrie Irving scored 33 points for the Mavericks (22-16), and Luka Doncic added 31.
Here are some takeaways from the game.
Jaren Jackson Jr. misses first game this season
The Grizzlies have played 28 games without Morant, but Tuesday was the first time this season Jaren Jackson Jr. was unavailable for Memphis. Fellow power forward Santi Aldama was also out. Memphis started a smaller lineup with Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane, Luke Kennard, Vince Williams Jr. and Bismack Biyombo. This lineup allowed
Memphis to play fast and free on offense while having Williams and Smart take on the primary defensive assignments of guarding Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.
Marcus Smart goes out with a bang before injury
Smart made a 3-pointer in the third quarter that led to a Mavericks timeout, then he signaled for the Grizzlies medical staff to look at his right hand. Smart appeared to have a dislocated finger that led to him going to the locker room. Minutes later, the Grizzlies ruled Smart out due to a right finger injury. Before getting hurt, Smart was the biggest reason behind Memphis' big lead. He finished with 23 points and two steals in 21 minutes.
Everyone chips in for Memphis
David Roddy entered Tuesday averaging a career high 11.7 points per game. In the first half alone, he scored 11 points while providing a spark off the bench. Xavier Tillman Sr. may have had his best game of the season with a double-double and impactful defense. Luke Kennard and Vince Williams Jr. also knocked down multiple 3-pointers and combined for nine assists. Ziaire Williams led the bench with 14 points.
What's next
Memphis return home after its threegame road trip. The Grizzlies will get two days off before hosting the Clippers (2313) on Friday at Fedexforum.