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The Dallas Mavericks take on the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedExForum on Wednesday in an exciting mid-table Western Conference matchup in the 2020-21 NBA.
The seventh-placed Dallas Mavericks and the eighth-placed Memphis Grizzlies are both among the play-in tournament seeds and are looking to enter the top-6 playoff seeds.
However, the Dallas Mavericks have an arguably easier schedule to make the top-6 spots compared to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Match Details
Fixture: Dallas Mavericks vs Memphis Grizzlies | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Wednesday, April 14th, 2021; 9:30 PM ET (Thursday, April 15th; 7:00 AM IST).
Venue: FedExForum, Memphis, TN.
Memphis Grizzlies Preview
The Memphis Grizzlies have had a very turbulent campaign this season. They have faced several injuries throughout the year but have fought their way to the eighth seed against all odds.
Ja Morant has continued to impress as the point guard for the Memphis Grizzlies. The 21-year-old former 'Rookie of the Year' is leading the team in minutes played, points and assists. He is dropping 7.3 dimes a game and is already being mentioned as one of the great playmakers in the league.
Although they face a relatively easy schedule going forward, the Memphis Grizzlies have struggled for consistency all season.
Their four-game winning streak ended at the hands of the New York Knicks after they lost by four points in an overtime thriller. However, the Grizzlies' strength lies in their defense. They are now ranked seventh in the league in defensive rating.
Key Player - Jonas Valanciunas
Although Ja Morant is averaging more points, Jonas Valanciunas, with his overall production, has been a key player for the Memphis Grizzlies this campaign.
He is third in the league in rebounding, with 12.7 boards a game, and is one of just 13 players averaging a double-double this season.
Besides leading the team in rebounds and blocks, Valanciunas is also the second-highest scorer on the team and has the highest PER on the roster. He recently recorded his 39th double-double of the season, marking his single-season best.
Memphis Grizzlies Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Ja Morant | Shooting Guard - Grayson Allen | Small Forward - Dillon Brooks | Power Forward - Kyle Anderson | Center - Jonas Valanciunas.
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks have a relatively easy schedule going forward. Although they face a series of 'easy' opponents ahead, they have lost leads against seemingly inferior teams this campaign.
The Dallas Mavericks have lost three of their last four games, which includes a loss to the Houston Rockets.
Star point guard Luka Doncic recently spoke about the team's objectives going forward and his views on the play-in tournament system this season,
"Obviously, we will try to be the 6th seed. I don't understand the idea of a play-in (tournament); you play 72 games to get in the playoffs and maybe you lose 2 (games) in a row and you're not in the playoffs. I don't see the point of that. But we are just trying here to get to the 6th spot, and I think that's our goal now...Maybe even more than 6th spot," said Doncic.
The Dallas Mavericks have a healthy roster after quite some time.
Kristaps Porzingis has been quite impressive in the limited games he has played. He did not lace up against the Philadelphia 76ers but is expected to play against the Grizzlies on Wednesday.
Moreover, the Mavericks debuted their latest addition, sharpshooter JJ Redick, in their last game after he recovered from a serious heel injury.
Key Player - Luka Doncic
Young Slovenian phenomenon Luka Doncic has been nothing short of spectacular this season.
He is averaging 28.6 points per game, which is the fifth-best in the league this season and doing so on 55% effective shooting. There is nothing Doncic cannot do at the moment, as he leads the Dallas Mavericks in minutes played, points, assists, rebounds, steals and PER.
He has shown the clutch gene early on in his career, and many have already called him a superstar in the making.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Luka Doncic | Shooting Guard - Josh Richardson | Small Forward - Dorian Finney-Smith | Power Forward - Maxi Kleber | Center - Kristaps Porzingis.
Mavericks vs Grizzlies Match Prediction
The two teams look fairly evenly matched on paper, so this game could go either way.
However, the Dallas Mavericks' superior squad depth and lack of injuries give them an edge. Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies have had Justice Winslow, De'Anthony Melton and Jontay Porter out for the past few games and may not hold up against the Mavericks.
Where to watch the Mavericks vs Grizzlies game?
The Dallas Mavericks vs Memphis Grizzlies game will be locally televised on Bally Sports Southeast - Memphis (SE-MEM) and Bally Sports Southwest - Dallas (SW-DAL). The game will also be nationally broadcast on ESPN and can be live-streamed with an NBA League Pass.
Also Read: Is Ben Simmons making a good case for the Defensive Player Of The Year award? | 2020-21 NBA season.
