Grizzlies advance to playoffs after defeating Mavericks

In the final NBA Play-In Tournament game on April 18, 2025, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Dallas Mavericks 120–106, securing the 8th seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Despite battling a right ankle sprain, Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 22 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds, despite playing on a sprained right ankle. Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 24 points, while Desmond Bane added 22 points and nine assists.

The Grizzlies dominated early, where they had a lead by as much as 25 points. Although the Mavericks narrowed the gap to seven in the third quarter, Memphis maintained control to secure the win. Memphis outperformed Dallas in rebounds (50–36) and three-point shooting percentage (41.9% to 31.6%).


For the Mavericks, Anthony Davis scored 40 points and grabbed nine rebounds, despite dealing with groin and back injuries. Klay Thompson added 18 points, but the team struggled overall.

This loss marked the end of a tumultuous season for Dallas, which had traded Luka Dončić to the Lakers earlier in the year. The Mavericks became the first team since the 2019–20 Golden State Warriors to miss the playoffs after appearing in the NBA Finals the previous season.

With this victory, the Grizzlies advance to face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.

Meanwhile, this is a comeback story for Memphis. Once holding the second-best record in the West midseason, the Grizzlies spiraled late, slipped to the Play-In, and fired head coach Taylor Jenkins. Yet the team regrouped and now finds itself just four wins away from making history.