Memphis Hands Dallas Mavericks Fourth Straight Loss

Losing their fourth straight game, the Dallas Mavericks lost another one on Friday night to the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Dallas Mavericks’ playoff hopes continued to dwindle Friday night, as they were dispatched by the playoff-bound Grizzlies by a final tally of 99-90. Five Mavs hit double digits in the loss, as Dirk Nowitzki, J.J. Barea, Wesley Matthews, Nerlens Noel, and Seth Curry each added 10+ offensively.

The loss sets back Dallas significantly in their last-minute effort for a playoff bid.

Former Houston Rockets hero, Troy Daniels, stole the show for the Grizzlies. David Fizdale’s seldom used super-sub came off the bench to nail seven three-balls, and finished with twenty-one important points on the night.

Mike Conley led the way for Memphis with his typical balance of solid offense and stifling defense, as he led the Grizz in scoring with twenty-eight. Zach Randolph added twenty-two himself, thoroughly outplaying up-and-comer Nerlens Noel.

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The Mavs offense followed a predictable trajectory in the first half, putting up a putrid thirty-four points in what led to a twenty-one point deficit. Further complicating matters for Rick Carlisle, Seth Curry left the game with a shoulder injury that has been nagging him over the last several games. The offense picked up significantly in the second half, as the team’s desperate comeback attempt resulted in fifty-six second half points.

The Mavs’ forty-fourth loss of the season is another blow to Dirk Nowitzki’s twilight years in Dallas. The decaying superstar is expected to play one more season in Dallas as his career comes to a close currently as the league’s sixth all time leading scorer.

The Mavs hopes of making Nowitzki’s final years worthwhile are looking bleaker and bleaker, and although the Mavs are not mathematically eliminated yet, they are already turning their attention to next season.

With just seven games left, the Mavs playoff chances are next to non-existent. Essentially, winning out may be Dallas’s only chance at securing the eighth spot in the West.

Next: J.J. Barea and Nerlens Noel Are Building Chemistry

The Mavs will next play the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, at 2:30PM central time.