MEMPHIS — While most of the Western Conference’s elite jockey for playoff positioning, the Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies are in a different standings battle, one defined by losses more than the wins.
The losses have piled up for the Mavericks, who entered Thursday’s game at FedEx Forum with eight straight defeats, their second-longest losing streak of the season. The Grizzlies, decimated by injuries, were in the midst of their own skid after dropping the last five games.
Neither team aspired for the NBA draft lottery at the start of the season, but that fate is nearly guaranteed with both teams occupying the bottom of the league’s standings.
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The Mavericks led by as many as 20 points and held a significant size advantage over a Grizzlies squad with eight available players, sans Ja Morant, and no traditional center. Khris Middleton returned to All-Star form and scored a season-high 35 points to lead the Mavericks to a 120-112 win.
The result of Thursday’s regular-season matchup was a morale booster for the Mavericks, who received a rare night of relief. The victory snapped a skid of seven straight losses to Memphis, which losing streak increased to six.
Dallas concludes its season-long six-game road trip with a record of 1-5 and improved to 22-44 overall. Middleton scored 22 of his 35 in the fourth quarter, the most he’s ever scored in one quarter. Daniel Gafford recorded his fourth consecutive double-double with a season-high 22 points and 14 rebounds. Cooper Flagg and Max Christie scored 13 points each.
The Mavericks entered Thursday’s game — the sixth in 10 days — 9.5 games behind No. 10 seed Portland. The Play-In tournament is far from reach and Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said development remains the priority with 16 games left in the regular season.
“It’s always good to win,” Kidd said. “You never devalue winning, but to be able to develop is the main goal.”
For the second consecutive season, Dallas will rely on the infamous ping pong balls of the lottery to help improve its fortunes. Flattened odds for the NBA draft lottery have diminished the incentive to finish with the worst record in the league, but there are plenty of franchises vying for the worst record possible, given a strong incoming draft class.
Teams with the three worst records share the highest chance of landing the No. 1 pick in May’s draft lottery at 14%. Those positions are currently occupied by Indiana (15-50), Sacramento (16-51) and Washington (16-48). Brooklyn (17-48) has the second-best odds with a 12.5% chance for the first pick.
The Pacers are almost certain to finish within the top three, especially since they have the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA, according to Tankathon.com. That tier is coveted most in this year’s draft because any one of the fantastic freshman trio that includes AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Cameron Boozer could succeed Flagg as 2026’s first overall pick.
The Mavericks entered the night with sixth-best odds in the NBA draft lottery, but their rare win allowed New Orleans to surpass them, bumping them to seventh. Dallas will play another pivotal game against the Pelicans on Monday.
They still have a realistic chance to finish fifth in the reverse standings. Dallas sits two games behind the Utah Jazz (20-46), who visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.
The circumstances are quite different from those in 2025, when the Mavericks secured the 11th-best odds after they were eliminated by the Grizzlies in the second game of the Play-In tournament.
Dallas jumped up in the draft lottery for the first time in franchise history in 2025 and secured the first pick despite having a 1.8% chance to do so. That led to the selection of Flagg, who was the second No. 1 pick in franchise history.
The Grizzlies, who dropped to 23-42, hold the eighth-best odds and gained ground on the Mavericks, sitting just 1.5 games behind seventh. They could also enter the conversation to improve their positioning because they have the second-toughest remaining schedule.
As for the Mavericks, they’re just relieved to be on the winning side of the final box score.
“Whenever you get off a losing streak, no matter if it’s two games or 20 games, it just feels like a weight is lifted off your back,” Middleton said.
The Mavericks will return home to host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, the second night of a back-to-back, which would be an upset if they’re able to protect home court and win their first game at American Airlines Center since Jan. 22.
Twitter/X: @MikeACurtis
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