Grizzlies set another record in win over Mavericks
FILE – Desmond Bane #22 of the Memphis Grizzlies reacts to a blocked shot during the second half of a game against the LA Clippers at Staples Center on October 23, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images/AFP
Desmond Bane scored a career-high 29 points as the visiting Memphis Grizzlies posted an NBA-record fourth straight wire-to-wire win Saturday, courtesy of a 97-90 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Bane made 12 of 20 shots — including 4 of 6 from 3-point range — and added nine rebounds for the Grizzlies, who overcame a depleted lineup to extend their season-high winning streak to four games.
With tonight's win at Dallas, @memgrizz are the first @NBA team in the last 25 seasons (when play-by-play data was first tracked) to record a streak of 4+ wire-to-wire wins, defined by @EliasSports as wins in which the team never trailed and the score was never tied after 0-0. pic.twitter.com/h5axwjwV7z
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) December 5, 2021
Memphis played without Ja Morant (left knee sprain), Brandon Clarke (right knee soreness), Kyle Anderson (back soreness), Ziaire Williams (left knee soreness) and Sam Merrill (left ankle sprain).
Tyus Jones scored 16 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. had 13, and Steven Adams collected 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Grizzlies. Memphis overcame 22 turnovers and a 14-for-24 performance at the free-throw line.
Dallas played without star Luka Doncic (left ankle soreness), Kristaps Porzingis (left knee contusion) and Willie Cauley-Stein (personal reasons) on Saturday. The Mavericks are 0-4 this season without Doncic, who averages team-best totals in points (25.4), assists (8.5) and rebounds (8.1).
Tim Hardaway Jr. sank five 3-pointers to highlight his 29-point performance for Dallas, which has lost seven of its last nine games overall.
Hardaway drained a 3-pointer to bring the Mavericks within five points with 1:45 left in the fourth quarter, however, Jones answered with a floating jumper to effectively end the threat.
Memphis didn’t miss a beat after erupting for a franchise-best point total and NBA-record 73-point margin of victory in 152-79 rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. The Grizzlies scored 13 of the game’s first 15 points on Saturday, with Jackson sinking a pair of 3-pointers and Bane also connecting from beyond the arc during the surge.
Memphis scored the first seven points of the second quarter and 16 of the first 22 to secure a 38-24 lead.
Bane heated up toward the end of the second quarter, sinking a mid-range jumper and two 3-pointers to push the Grizzlies’ advantage to 49-34 with 59.8 seconds to play.
De’Anthony Melton sank a 3-pointer to extend Memphis’ lead to 69-52 with 3:15 left in the third quarter, however, Trey Burke and Frank Ntilikina converted from beyond the arc on consecutive possessions.
