2 weeks Ago By N/A (Associated Press)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — 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, April 19, 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.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES’ Ja Morant, right, battles for the ball with Dallas Mavericks’ Caleb Martin during their NBA play-in game Friday, April 18. (AP)Morant was injured Tuesday night, April 22, at Golden State in the Grizzlies' play-in opener and was questionable to play Friday.“The doctors gave me all the help I needed in the simplest terms,” said Morant, whose availability wasn't certain until about 30 minutes before tipoff.
“I wanted to be on the floor. I wanted to play this game and get the win.”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. He sat in the locker room after the game with a wrap and an ice bag on the leg.
Davis said he tried to fight through the injury, knowing it was a win-or-go-home situation.“We had our chances. Obviously, a tough loss,” Davis said.
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 the Mavericks' 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.
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.Zach Edey had 15 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, and Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 13 points.
Meanwhile in Atlanta, the Miami Heat won't be afraid of facing No. 1 seed Cleveland in the playoffs after making NBA Play-In Tournament history by winning two road games.Miami Heat'sTyler Herro leaves the court after a win against the Atlanta Hawks in their NBA play-in tournament.
(AP)Tyler Herro scored 30 points while sinking two 3-pointers in overtime and the Heat regrouped after losing an early lead to beat the Atlanta Hawks 123-114.Miami will play at Cleveland on Sunday night, April 20, 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 what 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 game at 106, forcing the overtime. Young scored 29 points with 11 assists.
Onyeka Okongwu had 28 points with 12 rebounds.“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 game 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 jam 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 attempts 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 3s in just the first half against Miami, while making five.
For the game, Atlanta made 16 of 47 3s..
