MEMPHIS – What Jaden Hardy accomplished Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers is what he hopes to accomplish Monday night
when the Dallas Mavericks face the Memphis Grizzlies at FedEx Forum.
Hardy tallied 17 points on 6-of-11 shots against the Cavs. The Mavs’ third-year guard also was 2-of-4 on three-pointers, and contributed three rebounds and three assists with only one turnover in 25 minutes.
It was the second-best scoring game of the season for Hardy, who poured in 23 points on Nov. 25 during the 129-119 road win over the Atlanta Hawks. This also was Hardy’s fifth game back on the court since he missed seven games after spraining his right ankle late in the 137-101 road victory over the Washington Wizards on Dec. 5.
“(I’m) just trying to let the game come to me being out so long,” Hardy said. “Just trying to get back in the flow of things and just coming out there and trying to make the right plays and get my teammates involved while still being aggressive within the flow of the game.
“So, just trying to get back to that and just doing what the team needs from me.”
With Mavs starting guards Luka Dončić (left calf strain) and Kyrie Irving (illness) both out of Monday’s game, there’s a good 
chance Hardy’s minutes will be ramped up in the game against Memphis.
Hardy was encouraged that the Mavs battled back and got within 10 points of the Cavs after falling down by 27 points. He hopes that late-game rally will carry over into Monday’s game.
“We just have to come out with more energy,” Hardy said. “I feel like we started off the game kind of low on energy, so as a collective group we got to do a better job of that – coming out with more energy.
“We knew it was going to be tough coming into the game. But we did a good job trying to stick together and get through it.”
Here are some other nuggets surrounding Monday’s game between the Mavs and Grizzlies.
*After playing in Memphis on Monday, the Mavs will jet back home to entertain the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday in the opener of a four-game home stand that continues Thursday against Portland. The home stand concludes with a pair of games against the Denver Nuggets – on Sunday and on Jan. 14.
*The Grizzlies just completed a five-game road trip where they dropped three of the last four games on that trip to Oklahoma City (130-106), Sacramento (138-133) and Golden State (121-113). Monday’s game starts a short two-game home stand for Memphis, who will host Houston on Thursday before opening a four-game road trip Saturday at Minnesota.
*Due in large part to injuries and illnesses, the Mavs have lost five of their last six games, including their past four. The Mavs also had a four-game losing streak from Nov. 8-14, then bounced back after that to win 11 of their next 12 games.
*Grizzlies All-Star guard Ja Morant has missed the last four games with a right AC joint strain, and will not play in Monday’s game. Morant averages 21.2 ppg and 7.9 apg. Jaren Jackson Jr. leads the Grizzlies with 22.3 ppg, 6.2 prg and 1.6 bpg. Former TCU standout Desmond Bane is averaging 16.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg and 5.2 apg, Santi Aldama averages 13 ppg and 7.3 rpg, rookie Zach Eddy is ave
raging 10.9 ppg and 7.9 rpg, and Scotty Pippen Jr. averages 10.8 ppg.
*On Dec. 3 in Dallas, the Mavs snapped the Grizzlies’ six-game winning streak with a 121-116 victory behind 37 points and 12 rebounds from Luka Dončić. Also in that game for the Mavs, P. J. Washington contributed 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, Dereck Lively II had 17 points and 11 boards, and Spencer Dinwiddie added 16 points in 24 minutes. Ja Morant (31 points), Desmond Bane (19 points), Jaren Jackson Jr. (16 points, seven rebounds) and Santi Aldama (15 points, eight boards) led Memphis in that game.
*The Grizzlies have a promising rookie in Jaylen Well. But after pouring in 30 points on 11-of-16 shots – including 8-of-9 three-pointers – during Friday’s 138-133 loss to the Sacramento Kings, Wells was held to just eight points on 4-of-13 shooting during Saturday’s loss to the Golden State Warriors. Wells is averaging 11.7 ppg and shooting 44.7 percent from the field.
DALLAS MAVERICKS (20-15) at MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (23-13)
When: 7 p.m., Monday
Where: FedEx Forum, Memphis
TV: KFAA-29, MavsTV Stream
Radio: KEGL 97.1 FM The Eagle, 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
X: @DwainPrice
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