It is not only sad to be a Dallas Mavericks (39-43) fan as the 2024-25 regular season comes to a close with Sunday’s 132-97 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies (48-34) at the FedEx Forum. With a 9-vs.-10 play-in matchup looming, it’s downright embarrassing.
The shorthanded Mavericks didn’t appear to want to play on Sunday, and frankly, a forfeit at least would have let the few of us self-hating Mavs fans who watched the season-ending debacle off the hook from this bout of self-flagellation. No one was spared, though, on Sunday, save maybe Daniel Gafford.
Gafford brought his sense of purpose to the regular season finale despite the generalized meaningless malaise surrounding this team in April, piling up nine points inside in the game’s first three-plus minutes. He flushed home a big-boy dunk over Marvin Bagley III, trailing the play for a 3-point play with just under nine minutes left in the first. A minute later, he rallied to the ball after a Memphis offensive board and swatted GG Jackson’s put-back attempt to preserve the early 15-10 lead.
Gafford led the Mavs with 11 points after one, but the Grizzlies outscored Dallas 28-13 to end the quarter to take a 38-28 lead. Mavs guard Brandon Williams, recently signed to a two-year deal following two-way deals with the team in the past two seasons, walked back to the locker room with an apparent injury late in the quarter. He was holding his side as he walked off the floor with a team trainer after starting at point guard against Memphis and did not return.
Three of the Mavericks’ five first-quarter boneheaded turnovers were perpetrated in the frame’s final three minutes. This version of the Mavericks made a pretty solid case that this team does not deserve any additional basketball games.
The top-nine Memphis Grizzlies in minutes played were out for Sunday’s game, but their lead hovered around 10 for much of the first half. Was Dallas guarding against injury in a meaningless game, or were they as resigned as their fans have become to their ultimate fate this year?
“Shh, shh, shh, Mavericks. “It’s ok. It’s ok to let go. You can go now.”
The formaldehyde-soaked rag of despair has done its work in Dallas. We are ready to fall into a deep and dreamless sleep, and if Sunday’s effort is any indication, so are the many of the guys who get paid to suit up and ball.
Minutes restriction be damned
That’s what makes Gafford’s effort stand out — not that it was extraordinary — but that it was the only effort among those wearing Dallas across their chest meeting at least the bare minimum expectation. The fact that he obviously gave a damn became remarkable as the rest of the Mavs trod water in the salty brine of mediocrity. He skied for another transition jam midway through the second to cut the Memphis lead to nine, down 49-40, and force a Grizzlies timeout. He was apparently on some sort of minutes restriction, making just his sixth appearance after returning from a knee injury in a loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Mar. 31.
Gafford led the Mavs with 18 points, five boards and a pair of blocked shots in 14 first-half minutes after making the start at center. He played just four minutes in the second half and finished with 20 points and seven rebounds in the loss.
Something to be desired
Other than Gafford’s performance, the complete lack of pride, professionalism or self-respect on display from the rest of the roster was embarrassing. This appeared to be a group of Dallas Mavericks who wanted to go home, and if that’s the case, why even show up for the 9-vs.-10 play-in game?
The Mavs gave the ball away to a hungrier group of Grizzlies five more times in the second quarter and turned it over 18 times in the lopsided loss. Memphis scored 10 points off of Dallas’ 10 first-have giveaways. Since that early 15-10 Dallas lead, the Grizzlies triage unit outscored the lifeless Mavs 57-39 to end the first half.
No one in a navy uniform could stop the onslaught of offense and playmaking provided by *checks notes* Bagley (25 points, 12 rebounds), Jay Huff (22 points, six blocked shots) and Cam Spencer (23 points, seven assists). Someone named Lamar Stevens led all scorers with a career-high mark of 31 points to go along with six boards.
This Memphis team, which lost 10 of its last 15 and came into the 2024-25 finale minus one head coach, was just too much for your poor little Mavericks. The Grizzlies extended their lead to 104-75 at the end of three and coasted to the win.
It was a truly pathetic level of effort, even after accounting for the utter lack of anything resembling stakes attached to the season-ending thud. Now, as the corpse of the Dallas Mavericks 2024-25 season begins to rot and bloat, all we can hope for is that the quote-unquote “postseason” lasts just one game for this franchise beyond salvation.
The Mavericks will travel to meet the Sacramento Kings in the 9-vs.-10 play-in matchup on Wednesday. Let me know if anyone wants to get together for a watch party. Bring your own ceremonial white robe, and I’ll provide the doctored-up Kool-Aid.
