Dallas Mavericks Overcome All Odds for 4th Win

The headline may not sound great, but the Dallas Mavericks had a great game and finished with a bang in a 95-94 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. This is the Mavs 4th win and 2nd over the Grizzlies.

In a very interesting game, the Dallas Mavericks got the final shot at basket, which ended up being the dagger in the heart of the Memphis Grizzlies as Harrison Barnes hit the buzzer beater three with 0.5 seconds left. Barnes led all scorers with 22 points, while Tyreke Evans led the Grizzlies with 18.

By interesting game, I mean that this one really was odd from start to finish. The Mavs started the game off with a Dirk Nowitzki three-pointer that ended up being a fourth of the points the Mavs would score in the first quarter. Dallas was outscored 27-12 in the first quarter behind Dillon Brooks and Deyonta Davis. Yes, you read that right.

The 2nd quarter started out much better, but in the end, the Mavs were outscored once again 29-27, giving them a 17-point lead going into the seconds half. Davis led all scorers in the half with 14. He had 8 points in the entire season before tonight.

The third quarter was all Mavs, which is pretty amazing considering how bad the team has been in the third quarter this season. Dallas outscored Memphis 35-16 and took a two-point lead into the final period. Dennis Smith Jr. had 11 points in the quarter, including 9 in a row on back-to-back-to-back threes.

The fourth quarter was back and forth as neither team was willing to give up the ghost on this game. Dallas took a 92-87 lead with less than a minute remaining and looked like they were going to take care of business to finish it out. Marc Gasol hit a pair of free throws with 56 seconds left to make it a one possession game before Yogi Ferrell drew a foul with 38 seconds remaining. Yogi missed both free throws and Gasol hit a quick three to tie the game with 28 seconds left.

Dennis Smith took a pull-up jumper at the elbow with 10 seconds left but missed and Tyreke Evans took the ball coast-to-coast, put up a tough fadeaway layup that rimmed out but was slammed home by the trailing JaMychal Green. Dallas trailing by 2 with 0.5 seconds left. And then Barnes found pay dirt with a banked in three-pointer at the buzzer. Mavs win!

This was looking to be yet another way the Mavs could find a way to lose, but Barnes had other ideas. The Mavs had 5 players score double-digits, led by Barnes with 22, followed by DSJ with 17, Dirk with 13, Devin Harris with 11, and JJ Barea with 10. Barea also had a double-double with 11 assists.

The Mavs shut down Gasol until the 4th quarter, but he ended with 14 points and 10 boards. Dillon Brooks had a great game with 13, but Evans was the Mavs kryptonite once again with 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. The Mavs lost the rebounds and assists battle, as well as being outshot from the field and the free throw line (where the Mavs shot a paltry 8-16), but Dallas still ended up finding a win.

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Dallas will look to continue their winning ways against the very tough Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, November 25th. Dallas has played well over the past three games and will look to continue that play against Russell Westbrook and company.