NBA: Grizzlies beat Mavericks with Doncic out for personal reasons
Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) shoots and sinks a three-point basket over the top of Dallas Mavericks guard Josh Green (8) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
DALLAS — Desmond Bane scored 30 points and the depleted Memphis Grizzlies won consecutive games for the first time this season, beating Dallas 108-94 in the NBA on Friday night with Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic out for personal reasons.
Kyrie Irving struggled early in the absence of his fellow All-Star, missing all seven shots while finishing with one point before the break as the Mavericks shot 35% and fell behind by 15.
The eight-time All-Star finished with a season-low 10 points on 3-of-15 shooting, and Dallas shot a season-worst 37.0% overall.
Doncic, third in the NBA in scoring at 31.1 points per game, missed a game for the first time this season as did Dallas’ third-leading scorer, Tim Hardaway Jr., out with back spasms.
LUKA DONCIC IS NOW A DAD!
LOOK: NBA star Luka Doncic announces the birth of his first child, Gabriela, with his fiancée, Anamaria Goltes. | 📷: Doncic/Instagram
For more sports stories, visit https://t.co/xAbc0tFD8n pic.twitter.com/YU8uCSYXFk
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) December 2, 2023
“It was a young group out there,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “No excuse. I got to figure out if this is the group that’s playing tomorrow. I won’t know until tomorrow what’s happening.”
Memphis has played all season without suspended star guard Ja Morant. Marcus Smart, the guard acquired from Boston in an offseason trade, is sidelined by a left foot sprain.
A week after signing a 10-day contract to shore up the Memphis roster, Jaylen Nowell scored 19 points.
“We know he can score at a high level, but his ability to drive and kick and get to next actions, play pick-and-rolls is really impressive,” coach Taylor Jenkins said. “The biggest thing is getting him acclimated to our defensive system. I’ve actually been really impressed.”
Santi Aldama had 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Vince Williams Jr. added 15 points and 11 boards for the Grizzlies, whose consecutive victories have come after they quickly dropped 10 games under .500 coming off three straight playoff seasons.
“Let’s build off what we’ve done the last three, four days, two games and two practices,” Jenkins said. “And just understand this is something that can propel us to better days ahead. But let’s not look too far ahead.”
Derrick Jones Jr. and Grant Williams scored 16 points apiece to lead the Mavericks.
“We made Kyrie work way harder than he should have tonight,” Williams said. “We have to play with a little more energy. We came out like we had Luka or we had the talent to beat this team, and they came out with the opportunity of ‘We both have guys out, so who’s going to play harder?’ They played harder than us.”
Two nights after a win over Utah that stopped a four-game losing streak, the Grizzlies were up 17 points through the third quarter before a 10-0 Dallas run.
With the Memphis lead at six early in the fourth, Nowell started a 12-0 run with a jumper and a 3-pointer, and Bane’s 3-pointer gave the Grizzlies their first 20-point lead with five minutes remaining.
Bane, who played four seasons at nearby TCU, had his third game in as many seasons with at least 20 points in Dallas. He took it personally when the Mavericks passed on him at No. 18 in the 2020 draft and took Josh Green. Band was the 30th and final pick of the first round.
UP NEXT FOR GRIZZLIES, MAVERICKS
Grizzlies: At Phoenix on Saturday night.
Mavericks: Host Oklahoma City on Saturday night.
