Rebounding struggles and a late collapse derailed the Mavericks' comeback bid in a chippy, physical showdown with the Grizzlies.
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks watched a winnable game slip away in the final minute Saturday night, undone by rebounding issues, injuries to key rotation players, and a wave of chippiness that overshadowed stretches of strong defense and timely shooting. Their 102–96 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies marked the latest setback in a season defined by narrow margins and self-inflicted gaps.
Dallas (5–13) entered the night seeking its first winning streak of the season following Friday’s home win, but Memphis’ dominance on the glass — a 61–41 disparity — ultimately dictated the result. Even after holding the Grizzlies to their lowest first-half scoring output of the season and gaining steady production from Klay Thompson and Cooper Flagg, the Mavericks couldn’t overcome second-chance points or a late-game scoring drought.
Thompson delivered his most energetic performance as a Maverick, scoring a season-high 22 points and knocking down six 3-pointers while engaging in multiple dust-ups with Memphis players. His potential game-tying 29-footer with 20 seconds left bounced off the rim, sealing Dallas’ fate.
Head coach Jason Kidd said the final possession fell squarely on him.
“I take full responsibility of that last shot… I gotta draw up a better play,” Kidd said.
The Mavericks were forced to close without forward P.J. Washington, who exited with a back injury with just under five minutes remaining. His absence thinned Dallas’ interior resistance and eliminated one of its top rebounders and defensive anchors.
“After about midway through, he got hit in the back and couldn’t return,” Kidd said.
The game’s tension rose steadily through the second half. Thompson exchanged words with Vince Williams Jr. and later with sidelined guard Ja Morant, drawing a technical and fueling several confrontations across both benches. Kidd said he viewed his team’s response as appropriate for the tone of the night.
“Just trying to protect one another… a lot of talking, that’s about it,” Kidd said. “We need that energy, especially on back-to-backs.”
Rookie Cooper Flagg, coming off a 29-point breakout Friday, logged 12 points, seven rebounds and a series of physical defensive plays across 33 minutes. Kidd said Flagg’s intensity kept Dallas connected during stretches when the offense wavered.
“He brought great energy… he was a big reason why we were in the game,” Kidd said. “We tend to come out a little flat on back-to-backs, and his energy was really, really good.”
But Kidd noted the most decisive factor was rebounding — an area in which Dallas surrendered 23 offensive boards.
“Having given up 23 offensive rebounds is tough,” Kidd said. “Can’t win in this league if you give up that many.”
Guard Brandon Williams, who continued to take on expanded point-guard duties, said the team must be more committed to helping its big men on the glass.
“We just gotta be more physical… us guards coming back and helping the bigs,” Williams said.
He added that the atmosphere fueled the Mavericks’ competitiveness even as the game tightened.
“Yeah… the flare kind of just made everything intense,” Williams said.
Williams also praised Washington’s impact before the injury.
“He brings a lot to our team… he was dominating the first half,” Williams said.
As for Thompson’s shot attempt, Williams said Dallas executed the designed action while hunting for a quick strike.
“We're down three… ran a play, tried to execute it,” he said.
Despite the loss, Thompson said he liked the fight the Mavericks showed and made clear he won’t shy away from confrontation when he feels teammates need protection — particularly rookies like Flagg.
“I don’t like seeing that done to a rookie,” Thompson said. “I’ll compete with you… but don’t be dirty.”
Thompson also referenced his back-and-forth with Morant.
“He has a lot to say all the time… funny to run your mouth when you’re on the bench,” Thompson said.
The Mavericks now head into one of their most challenging road segments of the season — four straight away games beginning Monday in Miami. Dallas has dropped 11 of its last 14 and sits near the bottom of the Western Conference, with rebounding and late-game execution emerging as the themes Kidd says must tighten if they hope to stabilize.
“We gotta go back and watch film,” Williams said. “But there’s definitely a lot we can take care of… starting with the offensive rebounding and then executing down the stretch.”
The Mavericks will try to regroup quickly, with their next opportunity to respond coming less than 48 hours away.