Grizzlies top Mavericks, Heat outlast Hawks to earn last 2 playoff spots
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ja Morant shrugged off a sprained right ankle to score 22 points and add nine assists and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Dallas Mavericks, 120-106, on Friday night to advance to the NBA playoffs.
Memphis secured the Western Conference’s eighth seed and will open against top-seeded Oklahoma City in a best-of-seven series beginning Sunday on the Thunder’s home court.
Morant was injured Tuesday night at Golden State in the Grizzlies’ Play-In Tournament opener and was questionable to play Friday. Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 24 points, and Desmond Bane had 22.
Anthony Davis led Dallas with 40 points and nine nine rebounds. Klay Thompson had 18 points.
Davis limped off in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a right calf injury. He returned briefly but didn’t finish the game.
Memphis saw a 25-point first-half lead melting away in the third quarter as the Mavericks crafted a 27-12 run spanning halftime. That brought Dallas’ deficit to single digits midway through the third.
The Grizzlies stretched the lead back to 96-80 heading into the final quarter and Dallas never threatened the rest of the way.
The Mavericks closed the first half with eight straight points to cut it to 66-49.
Davis had 22 in the half, while Morant had 16 points for Memphis.
Dallas, which beat Sacramento 120-106 on Wednesday night to earn a spot against the Grizzlies, didn’t seem to have the same spark to start the game, never leading against Memphis.
Davis did his part to punch up the Dallas offensive attack, but Memphis countered with balanced scoring.
Zach Edey had 15 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, and Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 13 points.
In the Eastern Conference game …
Heat 123, Hawks 114 (OT): After making NBA Play-In Tournament history by winning two road games, the Miami Heat won’t be afraid of facing top-seeded Cleveland in the playoffs.
Tyler Herro scored 30 points while sinking two 3-pointers in overtime and the Heat regrouped after losing an early lead to win in Atlanta on Friday night.
Miami will play at Cleveland on Sunday night in the opening game of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
“I know how badly our group wanted to get into this thing,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I could see it in their eyes and feel it in their heart.”
Davion Mitchell scored only seven points in regulation before adding three 3-pointers in overtime for Miami.
The Heat became the first No. 10 seed in either conference to make the playoffs since the current play-in format was launched in the 2020-21 season. Miami also became the first play-in team to advance with two road wins.
“We did it the hard way. We’re battle-tested,” said Miami’s Haywood Highsmith, who had 12 points and 10 rebounds. “We can go anywhere and beat anybody.”
Asked about the challenge of facing Cleveland, Spoelstra said, “I’m so grateful we’re in the playoffs. We’re the first team to do it, and why not, to take on two road games.”
Added Highsmith: “We fought to get into the playoffs. Now that we’re in, we’re not going to go out soft.”
Trae Young’s lay-in with 1.3 seconds remaining in regulation tied the score at 106, forcing the overtime. Young scored 29 points with 11 assists. Former USC and Chino Hills High standout Onyeka Okongwu had 28 points with 12 rebounds for the Hawks.
“Not making the playoffs is a failure to me,” Young said.
Miami started strong, scoring the game’s first 10 points and leading by 17 points at 45-28 in the second period.
The Hawks tied the score for the first time at 88 on a layup by Terance Mann. Young’s 3-pointer gave Atlanta its first lead at 91-88 with 7:36 remaining.
Atlanta led 93-92 before Okongwu hit a 3-pointer. Following a steal by Dyson Daniels, Okongwu’s dunk extended the lead to 98-92.
Heat forward Nikola Jovic, who had been out since Feb. 23 with a broken right hand, was available but did not play. Guard Pelle Larsson (ankle) also was available for the first time since April 7.
After setting season lows with four 3-pointers made and 21 attempted against Orlando in the first play-in game, Coach Quin Snyder said his players “have got to be more willing to take contested 3s.”
The Hawks responded by attempting 21 3-point shots in just the first half against Miami, while making five. For the game, Atlanta shot 16 for 47 from behind the arc.