Ja Morant recorded 22 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and three steals while playing on his sprained right ankle and the Memphis Grizzlies earned the No. 8 seed in the NBA  Western Conference playoffs with a convincing 120-106 victory over the visiting Dallas Mavericks in the play-in round on Friday.

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Jaren Jackson Jr. had a team-high 24 points to go with seven rebounds and Desmond Bane contributed 22 points and nine assists for the Grizzlies, who will face the top-seeded Thunder in the first round. The best-of-seven series starts Sunday in Oklahoma City.

Dallas star Anthony Davis compiled 40 points and nine rebounds. He hobbled through the second half due to left groin and lower back injuries before exiting for good with 5:22 remaining and the outcome no longer in doubt.

Klay Thompson added 18 points for the Mavericks, who saw their turbulent season end. The campaign will be remembered for the trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Kyrie Irving subsequently sustained a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12)- passes the ball around Dallas Mavericks forward Caleb Martin, right, during the first half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game Friday, April 18, 2025, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Morant was injured Tuesday in Memphis’ play-in loss to the Golden State Warriors, and he was cleared to play about 30 minutes before tipoff on Friday.

Zach Edey produced 15 points and 11 rebounds and Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 13 points for the Grizzlies.

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Memphis shot 47 percent from the field, including 13 of 31 (41.9 percent) from 3-point range.

Brandon Williams had 16 points and seven assists for Dallas, which connected on 47.1 percent of its shots and was 12 of 38 (31.6 percent) from behind the arc.

Dallas, which never led, trailed by as many as 25 points in the second quarter but moved within seven in the third quarter. However, when Davis exited with 8:12 left in the fourth, Bane scored five straight points to make it 108-88.

Davis returned with 6:13 remaining and hit a jumper to pull Dallas within 15. He couldn’t move on defense, though, and Edey and Jackson both slammed home dunks and he exited for good 51 seconds later with the Mavericks trailing by 19.

Morant’s presence ignited the Grizzlies to 37 points in the first 10 minutes. Memphis led by 21 before the Mavericks crept within 39-24 at the end of the period.

The Grizzlies scored the first 10 points of the second quarter with a basket by Pippen increasing the margin to 25 with 9:10 left in the half.

Dallas later scored the final eight points to trail 66-49.

Morant had 16 points and Bane scored 15 in the half for the Grizzlies. Davis poured in 22 for the Mavericks.

Dallas moved within 75-68 on a Davis dunk with 6:20 left in the third. Memphis answered with a 10-2 run, taking an 85-70 lead on Jackson’s 3-pointer with 4:10 remaining.

The Grizzlies led 96-78 entering the final stanza. –Field Level Media