Mavericks at Memphis Grizzlies
(8:30 p.m. Wednesday, FedEx Forum, Memphis)
TV: Bally Sports Southwest
Radio: ESPN 103.3 FM (Univision 1270 AM, Spanish)
About the Mavericks (29-24): This game took on greater importance when the Mavericks lost games Sunday and Monday against San Antonio and Philadelphia. That left them with a precarious 1½-game lead on the Grizzlies in the playoff chase . . . This stretch, losing three of their last four, is their toughest time since they lost six straight at the end of January . . . They have slowly crept up the defensive rating over the last month to where they now are 18th, allowing 112.5 points per 100 possessions. Still not great but a nice improvement from when they were ranked in the 20s not too long ago . . . Tim Hardaway Jr. has been rock-solid all season as the Mavericks’ sixth man, but lately, he has struggled. He’s averaged 7.7 points over the last three games and 11.5 over the last eight. For the season, he’s averaging 16.1 points per game . . . Luka Dončić has not had a double-figure rebounding or assist game since March 15, although it’s kind of hard to criticize a guy when he’s averaging 29.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.5 assists during that 13 game stretch. He’s also shooting 40.2 percent from 3-point range in that stretch . . . The Mavericks are 2-point favorites, according to Bovada.
About the Grizzlies (27-25): This is one of two home games they have left against the Mavericks. They lost the first meeting in Dallas, meaning the Mavericks can win the season series with a victory tonight . . . The Grizz have become one of the most dangerous teams in the league after winning five of their last seven, including Monday’s 101-90 win over Chicago when they shut the Bulls down in the fourth quarter with 16 points . . . They used a big rebounding game to dominate the Bulls late and got 26 points and 14 rebounds from center Jonas Valanciunas . . . The former Toronto Raptor has averaged 22 points over the last seven games. More impressively is that he has double-figure rebounds in each of the last 22 games Memphis has played . . . The Grizzlies have been hanging around the .500 mark most of the season in spite of a long-term knee injury to Jaren Jackson Jr., who could return soon . . . The Grizzlies may have Justise Winslow (thigh) back against the Mavs . . . Second-year guard Ja Morant has done a nice job following up his rookie of the year season last year, averaging 18.9 points and 7.4 assists per game. Those both are slight improvements on his rookie numbers, so no sophomore slump here . . . Morant has a nice sidekick in Dillon Brooks, who averaged 16.5 points per game . . . The Grizzlies aren’t the grit-and-grind team they were last decade, but they still have a salty defensive rating (No. 7 in the league).
Twitter: @Esefko
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