The Dallas Mavericks came away with a 120-112 road win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night at FedExForum, powered by a dominant 35-point performance from Khris Middleton. Despite Memphis cutting into a substantial first-quarter deficit and briefly taking control in the third quarter, Dallas held firm in the final period to secure the eight-point victory in front of 15,029 fans in Memphis.
Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown
First Quarter: Dallas Takes Command Early
The Mavericks set the tone from the opening tip, outscoring Memphis 34–22 in the first quarter. Dallas moved the ball crisply and converted at a high rate, while the Grizzlies struggled to generate consistent offense. The 12-point swing gave Dallas a comfortable early cushion heading into the second period.
Second Quarter: Memphis Responds
Memphis answered with their best quarter of the first half, edging the second frame 32–31 to narrow the deficit slightly. The Grizzlies showed some offensive life, distributing the ball well — Javon Small was particularly active in facilitating — but Dallas maintained a lead heading into halftime, 65–54.
Third Quarter: Grizzlies Narrow the Gap
Memphis put together their best 12 minutes of the game in the third quarter, outscoring Dallas 30–21 to pull within eight points. The Grizzlies tightened things up defensively and generated more second-chance opportunities, making it a genuine contest entering the final frame. Dallas led 86–84 going into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter: Mavericks Pull Away
With the game on the line, Dallas responded decisively, outscoring Memphis 34–28 in the fourth quarter to close out the win. Middleton was at his best when it mattered most, and Daniel Gafford’s presence in the paint continued to provide Dallas with both rebounding and interior stability. Memphis could not overcome the late surge, and the final score settled at 120–112.
Key Performers
Khris Middleton — Dallas Mavericks
Middleton was the clear standout on the night, leading all scorers with 35 points. His efficiency and composure in the fourth quarter were central to Dallas sealing the win on the road. He earned the game’s top performance rating (51.5) by a wide margin, reflecting his overall impact across all phases of the game.
Daniel Gafford — Dallas Mavericks
Gafford was a force on the glass, pulling down a game-high 14 rebounds to give Dallas a dominant edge on the boards. The Mavericks finished with 60 total rebounds compared to Memphis’s 38 — a 22-rebound differential that proved significant in securing extra possessions throughout the contest.
Cooper Flagg — Dallas Mavericks
The rookie forward continued to contribute in multiple ways, leading Dallas with 7 assists. Flagg’s ability to facilitate and make sound decisions with the ball added another dimension to the Mavericks’ offense and helped Dallas generate quality looks throughout the night.
Jaylen Wells — Memphis Grizzlies
Wells led Memphis in scoring with 23 points, providing the Grizzlies with their most consistent offensive output. He was a reliable option for head coach’s rotation and kept Memphis within striking distance during their third-quarter push.
Taylor Hendricks — Memphis Grizzlies
Hendricks recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, earning the game’s top rating (37.4) among Grizzlies players. His versatility on both ends of the floor gave Memphis a stabilizing presence, even as the team ultimately came up short.
Javon Small — Memphis Grizzlies
Small ran the Memphis offense with efficiency, dishing out a team-high 9 assists. His playmaking helped the Grizzlies record 26 team assists on the night, but Dallas’s rebounding advantage and fourth-quarter execution outweighed Memphis’s ball movement.
Game Analysis
The decisive factor in this game was the rebounding disparity. Dallas’s 60-to-38 edge on the boards — a remarkable 22-rebound advantage — gave the Mavericks consistent second opportunities and helped compensate for Memphis’s strong third-quarter run. While the Grizzlies shot a respectable 41.8% from the field and moved the ball well (26 assists), their inability to contest Dallas’s second-chance points ultimately proved costly.
Dallas shot 48.4% from the field compared to Memphis’s 41.8%, and while the Grizzlies actually attempted more three-pointers (48 attempts), they connected on just 29.2% of them. Dallas was more selective from deep, attempting 32 triples and converting at a 34.4% clip. That efficiency gap, combined with the rebounding advantage, gave Dallas the edge they needed to come away with the win.
Middleton’s performance in the fourth quarter stood out as the pivotal moment. With Memphis having clawed back to within reach after the third quarter, the veteran forward delivered when it mattered most, helping Dallas outscore the Grizzlies by six points in the final 12 minutes. His veteran poise in a high-pressure road environment was a significant asset for the Mavericks.
Standings and Implications
With the victory, the Dallas Mavericks improve to 22–44 on the season, while Memphis falls to 23–42. Neither team is positioned for a deep postseason run at this stage of the 2025–26 campaign, though both remain in range of the play-in conversation depending on how the final weeks of the regular season unfold. Memphis, with a 12–20 home record, will look to reclaim their footing at FedExForum in upcoming games. Dallas, now 8–25 on the road, can take some confidence from a resilient road performance in which they absorbed a third-quarter push from the home team and still came away with the win.
