Game Preview: Mavericks Visit Grizzlies for Third Game of Season (12/11/23)

The Memphis Grizzlies host the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, December 11th, in their third matchup of the season. The game will be available on NBA TV for fans out of market, and on Bally Sports channels and services for those in the region. Tipoff begins at 7:30pm.

The series between the two is tied (1-1), with key absences defining each team’s single victory. Dallas won early in the season while Memphis struggled with the weight of absences and chemistry issues. In turn, Memphis won while Luka Doncic took the night off for the birth of his child, leaving the Mavericks without their offensive engine.

Tonight features a new lineup for two ailing teams. The Grizzlies will likely see Rose and Tillman play, as Tillman regains his groove after a knee injury while Rose will have had adequate rest. For the Mavericks, Kyrie Irving is listed as out, suffering what’s currently classified as a right heel contusion in an incident earlier in the week. 

To secure a victory tonight, the Grizzlies will need to fight and claw as they have been across a more consistent stretch, in order to secure a second home win on the Fedex Forum floor. This will involve doing their best to contain Doncic, who is averaging 31 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. 

Doncic is the first and foremost driver of an effective Dallas offense, and can post excellent numbers even when matched up against the best defenders. One of the young wings with size will have to do their best to defend without fouling and provide stout physical defense. David Roddy has received that assignment recently, and there may be minutes with Vince Williams Jr. as the primary defender, too. 

The Grizzlies will also have to pay more attention to the three-point line. Doncic is a top-tier player when it comes to drives, with unparalleled playmaking that comes with his size. Drive-and-kicks are a major part of the Mavericks’ offense, so effective closeouts are a must. 

A focused Jaren Jackson Jr. can provide a large lift as well to the Grizzlies’ chances, as rookie Derrick Lively II, a blue-chip prospect already showing admirable flashes, will see minutes at center. Jackson Jr.’s advantages put the raw Lively II in foul trouble last game, and a repeat would be a worthwhile development for this one. 

As the return of Morant, Smart, and Kennard approaches, likely staggered to come back together, minutes on the bench will be tight. Moreover, the roster crunch from the loss of a roster spot for Morant’s return may result in a minutes distribution aimed at final evaluations. Recent signees and back-end roster players may find themselves in new lineup combinations and playtime distributions to find what works with the team. Nowell, for example, added a scoring pop that reduced John Konchar’s role to a more manageable position in recent games. Little discoveries like this go a long way towards both roster decisions and winning games. 

Make sure to tune in to see the Memphis Grizzlies take on the Dallas Mavericks at home tonight, December 11th, at 7:30.