Dallas Mavericks vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction & Match Preview - December 8th, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22

The Dallas Mavericks will be on the road in their next three games, starting with a stop at the FedExForum on Wednesday for a rematch against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Dallas suffered a stinging 99-102 loss against the Brooklyn Nets in their last game. In a match they led most of the way, including a 17-point lead at one stage, the Mavericks simply could not overcome the Net’s suffocating defense as the game wore on.

Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis returned to action for the Dallas Mavericks, but could not tow their team past the best team in the East. The Mavericks’ superstars just could not get the buckets against the Nets’ switching defense. They need to be back to their best against the surging Memphis Grizzlies.

Meanwhile, Ja Morant injured his knee against the Atlanta Hawks on November 26, and the Memphis Grizzlies haven’t lost since then. They are on a season-high five-game winning streak, including a win over the Dallas Mavericks a few days ago.

Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane have stepped up big time since Morant went down with an injury. The Memphis Grizzlies will count on them yet again against the Dallas Mavericks’ superstar 1-2 punch.

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Match Details

Fixture: Dallas Mavericks vs Memphis Grizzlies | 2021-22 NBA season.

Date & Time: Wednesday, December 8th; 8:00 PM ET (Thursday, December 9th; 6:30 AM IST).

Venue: FedExForum, Memphis, TN.

Dallas Mavericks Preview

The Dallas Mavericks are only 1-5 in their last six games. [Photo: NBA.com]

The Dallas Mavericks are reeling. They are only 2-8 in their last ten games, including 1-5 in their last six, largely because of lingering injuries to Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis. They have also been inept in defense during this period. The Mavericks have had a defensive rating of 111.9 in these ten games, which places them in the bottom five of the league.

A recurring theme in the Dallas Mavericks’ poor form is their poor three-point shooting. In their loss to the Nets, they were a miserable 19.6% from the deep. Doncic, Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Reggie Bullock shot a combined 4-29. They are in the top five in the NBA in three-point attempts, averaging 38.2 a game, but are in the bottom ten in percentage, with a 33.9% shooting clip.

The Dallas Mavericks need to find ways to get the job done if their three-point shots don’t fall. They did it for about three quarters against the Nets before running out of steam.

Key Player - Luka Doncic

Luka Doncic is practically the Dallas Mavericks’ offense. They are winless this season without the Slovenian magician. He finished with 28 points and nine assists in the loss to the Nets, but the numbers do not do justice to his dominance. Brooklyn used different defenders on Doncic, but to no avail.

The All-Star guard can get to any spot on the floor, and is a walking matchup for almost any team in the NBA. Doncic’s ability to close out games is one of the reasons why the Mavericks always have a puncher’s chance in close games.

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Dalla Mavericks Predicted Lineup

G - Luka Doncic | G - Tim Hardaway Jr. | F - Dorian Finney-Smith | F - Kristaps Porzingis | C - Dwight Powell.

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Memphis Grizzlies Preview

The Memphis Grizzlies have won their last five games without Ja Morant. [Photo: Hoops Habit]

The Memphis Grizzlies were 9-10 following their loss to the Atlanta Hawks after Morant went down with an injury. They are now improbably 14-10 without their franchise player, and have surged to fourth spot in a stacked Western Conference.

Without their best player, the Grizzlies have turned their season around, producing impressive defensive performances in their string of wins. Their 91.5 defensive rating in their last five games tops the NBA by a wide margin. They don’t even belong to the same zip code as the rest of the league, which is led by the Golden State Warriors’ 99.8 defensive mark.

Credit goes to Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane for taking on leadership and scoring duties without Morant. Jackson is showing glimpses of his special skills and talents, particularly when he puts them together. The Memphis Grizzlies will only get better with the return of Morant.

Key Player - Jaren Jackson Jr.

Jaren Jackson Jr. makes the Memphis Grizzlies an intriguing team, with Morant as the alpha. Jackson Jr. raises the team’s ceiling and floor when he is at his best. The absence of the team’s best player due to an injury has allowed the power forward to blossom in both maturity and overall play.

The 22-year-old is averaging 15.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and an assist per game. He turned it up in their five-game winning streak, with 19.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1 assist and 2.2 blocks per game. That has played a huge part of the Memphis Grizzlies’ defensive renaissance.

Jackson Jr’s improvement in defense has allowed the Grizzlies to be more versatile with their lineup. Jackson can play the center position without getting beaten by wings and guards on the perimeter. Memphis will need this version of Jaren Jackson Jr. against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.

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Memphis Grizzlies Predicted Lineup

G - Tyus Jones | G - Desmond Bane | F - Dillon Brooks | F - Jaren Jackson Jr. | C - Steven Adams.

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Mavericks vs Grizzlies Match Prediction

If the Memphis Grizzlies can maintain their superlative defensive play, particularly on the three-point line, they could just hold off the Dallas Mavericks at home.

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Where to watch the Mavericks vs Grizzlies game?

The NBA League Pass will stream the game live. Local coverage of the matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and the Memphis Grizzlies is available via Bally Sports Memphis and Bally Sports Dallas.

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