Even if they wanted to, the Grizzlies don’t really have time for any extensive mulling of their 104-96 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. It was the first game of a back-to-back and next up are LeBron James and the Lakers at FedExForum.
Moving past the defeat was made a bit more challenging in that the game was marked by a parade of technical fouls, with Memphis starter Dillon Brooks picking up two and getting ejected. That meant the Grizzlies had to play on without a key defensive weapon against Dallas’ troublesome All-Star Luka Doncic, who filled up the stat sheet with 26 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists.
Brooks still was hot – as in seriously mad – after the loss that ended Memphis’ season-high, five-game win streak.
“We have been playing physical basketball for a week now. All of a sudden, new officials come in here and call an inconsistent game. They want to call ticky-tack fouls in the first half and in the second half they want to call nothing,” said Brooks, who had 15 points and 5 fouls before being automatically ejected after his second technical foul.
“You have guys getting undercut. I am getting hit and no call. It is a lack of protection for the players. That is the main thing. I feel like this crew came out here and made it about them. That is bull. Obviously, I can’t put it all on them. You have got to be able to rebound the basketball. You have got to be able to hit shots in timely ways.”
Not done with the officials, Brooks added, “This crew did not protect the players. They just wanted to get the game over with and that is bullshit.”
OK, meaning that there’s likely a league-directed fine in Brooks’ near future.
Memphis actually took w control of the game midway through the second quarter, opening up its largest lead (49-37) on Brooks’ layup with 2:59 left in the first half. The Mavericks roared back, cutting the gap to four (52-48) at the half. After the half’s final horn, a complaining Doncic was hit with a technical foul, with the free throw shot at the beginning of the second half.
The Mavericks moved ahead the Grizzlies in the second half, taking a one-point lead (76-75) into the fourth quarter. In the last five minutes of the game the Grizzlies were called for four technical fouls.
The officiating notwithstanding, Memphis did not have a good night shooting the basketball, missing  10 free throws (15 of 25) and shooting 29 percent (9 of 31) from three-point range.
Jaren Jackson Jr., who led the way for the Grizzlies with 26 points and 7 rebounds, was already in move-on mode after the game.
“I will probably wait to look (at tape of the Dallas game). (I will just look at the next opponent. We don’t have that much time.”
Regarding Brooks, Jackson said, “Dillon is a warrior. He is going to play defense to the best of his ability. It is a lot of things you probably saw. It is tough. He is my dog. We are going to be here for him. We have a game tomorrow and we are going to lock in for that. He plays with heart. He plays physical defense.”
Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins had a matter-of-fact response when asked what he saw regarding Brooks’ ejection.
“Dillon got ejected,” he said.
From his vantage point, the difference in the game was that the Mavericks “just out-worked us. Every loose ball bouncing around they came up with it. … They went on a run in the third quarter, but I think that (being out-worked) did us in.
“ Our offense struggled tonight. I thought we missed a lot of looks at the rim, open looks (and) 10 (missed) free throws, that doesn’t help. We have got to play better. We have to learn from this and get better when we play tomorrow.”
NOTES:
The day did not start well for the Grizzlies as the NBA announced that Memphis’ star guard Ja Morant has entered the health and safety protocols related to COVID-19. He will have to stay away from the team for at the most 10 days or pass two consecutive tests. He is still out due to his injured knee.
Tipoff against the Lakers is 7 p.m.
The Grizzlies lost a heartbreaker the last time the two teams met in Los Angeles (Oct. 24), coming up on the short end of 121-118 outcome.
GALLERY
