Ja Morant overcame a sprained right ankle to score 22 points and contribute nine assists, helping the Memphis Grizzlies defeat the Dallas Mavericks 120-106 on Friday night. This victory secured a spot in the NBA playoffs.

Memphis achieved the eighth seed in the Western Conference and will face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

Morant not only played but also set the tone with an energetic start, highlighted by a spectacular one-handed dunk, leaving teammate Desmond Bane excitedly shouting, “Showtime!” as Morant’s eyes met the rim during the feat.

Despite sustaining the injury during Tuesday’s game against Golden State, Morant joked, “I couldn’t feel it… so I was out there.”

Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 24 points, while Bane also topped the score with 22. In contrast, Anthony Davis was the standout for the Mavericks with 40 points and nine rebounds, although he suffered a right calf injury in the fourth quarter and departed the game prematurely.

Although the Grizzlies had a commanding 25-point lead in the first half, the Mavericks surged back to cut the deficit to single digits halfway through the third quarter. However, Memphis stabilized and secured their victory without any further challenges.