3 Studs, 2 duds in Mavericks' shorthanded loss to Grizzlies

The Dallas Mavericks, without Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Dante Exum, lost to the Memphis Grizzlies 108-94. Dallas now falls to 11-7, while Memphis improves to 5-13.

Dallas came out slow and could never build momentum. The Mavs only won one of the four quarters against the Grizzlies. Without Doncic leading the charge, Kyrie Irving bore most of the offensive responsibility.

No Doncic and Hardaway Jr. meant a lot more shots to go around. Six Mavericks attempted nine or more field goals. Yet, no Mav attempted more than 15.

3 Studs, 2 duds in Mavericks' shorthanded loss to Grizzlies

Although a lack of viable players led to a poor team performance, more obscure players got their chance to hit the hardwood. Olivier-Maxence Prosper played 11 minutes, his most action in an NBA game this season. AJ Lawson and Dexter Dennis, two of the Mavericks two-way players, made their first appearances of the season.

Additionally, veteran forward Markieff Morris played his most minutes in a game this season. Even though Morris finished at a -11, he knocked down two 3-pointers to the tune of six points.

Next, we'll discuss the three studs and two duds from the Mavericks' second-lowest scoring output of the season.

5. Stud - Grant Williams

A usual stud to begin the season, Grant Williams has landed on the dud list as of late. However, against the Grizzlies, Williams played his best game since early November.

Perhaps Williams has regained his confidence after this outing. While Williams didn't shoot the best, he looked confident when he let it rip. The Dallas forward only shot 33 percent from the floor and three but scored in double-digits for the first time since November 18th.

Aside from scoring a team-high 16 points, Williams also chipped in eight rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block. Not a typical foul-drawer, Williams went to the line six times, knocking down a season-high five free throws.

A bounce-back game for the burly forward was much needed. To begin the season he looked tremendous. But his recent rut made it seem as if the first few games were a mirage.

Williams had gotten used to standing in the corner or elsewhere on the 3-point line and waiting for a kick-out pass. In this contest, Williams looked to drive and play make far more often than usual. Of course, Doncic missed the game, but more drives, free throw attempts, and assists are key Williams' offensive progression.

4. Dud - Dereck Lively II

This dud truly came down to a few different players. Josh Green, Jaden Hardy, and Olivier-Maxence Prosper were all considered here.

Green played a decent game. In a starting role, the Aussie guard scored double-digit points and recorded five assists. However, he shot 4-of-10 from the field and turned the ball over three times.

As for Hardy, he played 21 minutes but just scored nine points. A season ago, when Hardy played more than 20 minutes, he was almost guaranteed to score more than 15 points. While Hardy did some good things, a nine-point outing was disappointing.

Against Memphis, Dereck Lively II only scored four points and recorded five rebounds. The all-hands-on-deck approach was in full force tonight, yet Lively II failed to make much of a contribution.

Playing without Doncic may have drastically affected Lively II's performance. Doncic is one of the best passers in the NBA, so playing without such a phenomenal passer is a major disservice to an athletic big man like Lively II.

The Dallas youngster recorded two blocks, but the Grizzlies were able to get to the rim at will in the game. The perimeter defenders needed to play better. Funneling drives to Lively II is good in theory, but the young big man isn't completely ready to handle such a burden.

Multiple Grizzly guards, Desmond Bane, Vince Williams, and Jaylen Nowell, all scored numerous paint buckets without a decent-enough contest.

3. Stud - Seth Curry

Finally, the game we've all been waiting for. Seth Curry's 12 points were his second most in a game this season. Besides his perfect night against the Washington Wizards, Curry had hardly managed to look like a quality contributor.

Curry's 10 attempts against the Grizzlies were a season high. He looked more confident, and his play a night ago might make way for more minutes down the road. Without Hardaway Jr. in the lineup, Curry is almost a necessity to fill in at the guard spot.

The Mavericks need all the shooting they can get. And oddly enough, it's not because they lack shooting, but because the defense is so poor. It's quintessential that Dallas scores more than 110 points to win. The Mavericks have only won one game this season scoring less than 110 and in that contest, they won 104-101.

The sharpshooting Curry's passing and gravitational pull are always beneficial to any offense. He may not be the best defender at this stage in his career but his defensive deficiencies can be camouflaged by playing with the second unit.

In a 14-point loss, Curry's -5 plus/minus isn't half bad. He finished with a higher plus/minus than all the starters and scored more points than every play off the bench, despite receiving the third-most minutes off the pine.

2. Dud - Kyrie Irving

As soon as Luka Doncic was ruled out, Kyrie Irving's stock shot up. If the Mavs wanted to come away victorious, it'd likely be on Irving to pour in 30-plus points.

However, the star guard only managed to make three of his fifteen field goal attempts. To make matters worse, Irving didn't make one 3-pointer. He went 0-of-5 from beyond the arc.

Over the past 10 games, Irving had scored more than 20 points in all but one game. After a poor start, Irving had been turning it around. Without Doncic in the lineup, a big game for Irving certainly seemed on the horizon.

Against the Grizzlies, Irving completely faltered. He shot the lowest mark of the season and failed to make a three for the first time since February. Irving never really could get going against the Grizzlies. He only made one free throw in the first quarter, but not a single field goal.

In the post-game press conference, Irving mentioned a foot injury hampered his performance. Irving competitive side pushed him to finish the game, but his status will likely be up-in-air going forward.

A Dallas team minus both Irving and Doncic will have to fight for every point. Hopefully for Mavs fans, Irving will be able to suit up tomorrow night against the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder.

1. Stud - Derrick Jones Jr.

One might ask, "How could one be number one on the studs list with the lowest plus/minus?" Well, this might be a first and a last, but here we are.

The shorthanded Mavericks relied on several underutilized players to float the boat. Derrick Jones Jr. was one of those players. Although he finished as a -23, his worst plus/minus of the season, the high-flying wing tied his season-high with four 3-pointers.

Jones Jr. finished 4-of-7 from the three-point line and 6-of-14 from the field. Jones Jr.'s 14-shot attempts were his most in a game this season. Even more perplexing, 14-shot attempts were the second-most in a game in his career.

As a starter, Jones Jr. was utilized more so than every other player besides Kyrie Irving. His defense may have taken a hit, allowing Desmond Bane to score at will, but his offense looked great.

If not for a missed dunk in transition, Jones Jr. would have nearly matched his career-high of 17 points. The Dallas forward has turned into much more than a one-dimensional player.

The high-flying acrobatics are still present, but knockdown 3-point shooting has now entered Jones Jr.'s repertoire. After last night's performance, Jones Jr. is now shooting 40 percent for the season.

If the consistent shooting continues, Jones Jr. will likely see an increase in minutes. He's already seeing 22.4 minutes per game but has seen 30-plus minutes in the past two contests.