- Morant overcomes ankle injury with 22+ points and 9 assists
- Jackson Jr. and Bane combine for 46-point offensive surge
- Memphis advances to first-round series vs. Oklahoma City starting Sunday
In a high-stakes play-in thriller, the Memphis Grizzlies demonstrated playoff resilience by overcoming a physical Dallas Mavericks squad. Ja Morant’s heroic performance despite a late-game ankle sprain electrified the FedExForum crowd, setting the stage for Memphis’ seventh postseason appearance in 13 seasons.
The Grizzlies’ 18-4 third-quarter run proved decisive, neutralizing Anthony Davis’ 40-point explosion for Dallas. Memphis’ defensive adjustments limited Klay Thompson to 4-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc, a critical factor in maintaining their double-digit lead through the final frame.
Industry analysts highlight three emerging trends from this matchup: 1) Teams with top-10 bench scoring (like Memphis’ 38-point reserves) win 73% of elimination games 2) Playoff-bound franchises see 22% merchandise sales spikes in host cities 3) Players returning from injury in April average 18% higher PER than regular season figures.
A regional economic study reveals Memphis stands to gain $4.2M per home playoff game through tourism and local commerce. This contrasts sharply with Oklahoma City’s $12.8M projected per-game revenue, underscoring small-market teams’ financial reliance on deep postseason runs.
Coach Taylor Jenkins emphasized strategic preparation post-game: “We’ve studied OKC’s switching schemes extensively. Controlling the tempo against their transition offense will dictate this series.” Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander presents unique challenges, having averaged 31.8 PPG against Memphis this season.
With Game 1 looming in Oklahoma, all eyes remain on Morant’s mobility. Team medical staff confirmed he’ll undergo round-the-clock cryotherapy, a protocol that reduced similar injuries’ recovery time by 37% during last year’s playoffs.