Riding a four-game losing streak, the Memphis Grizzlies traveled to face the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. The Mavericks were severely shorthanded on Friday, and the Grizzlies took advantage. The Grizzlies are leaving Dallas with a 122-111 win, backed by incredible performances from their star backcourt duo.
Grizzlies star Ja Morant posted 31 points and 8 assists, but backcourt mate Desmond Bane had an absurd performance. Bane stuffed the stat sheet with 27 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks, shooting 11-24 from the field and 2-6 from beyond the arc.
DESMOND BANE IN THE GRIZZLIES WIN AGAINST THE MAVERICKS :
- 27 Points
- 16 Rebounds (Career-High)
- 6 Assists
- 3 Steals / 2 Blocks
- +13 +/-
22 WILLED THE GRIZZLIES TO VICTORY TONIGHT. 💯 pic.twitter.com/wxkA2T914U
— Grizz Lead (@Grizz_Lead) March 8, 2025
With his insane performance on Friday night, Bane became the first guard in NBA history to record those numbers in a game, per Stathead. With star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. sidelined, the Grizzlies have needed Bane to step up into more of a go-to second option alongside Morant, and he has done just that.
In Monday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks, Bane went for 35 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, showing that neither of these performances was a fluke.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) and Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22)
Mar 7, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) and Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) against the Dallas Mavericks during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Bane, 26, is now averaging 18.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game this season with 48.6/37.6/88.4 shooting splits. The 6-foot-5 guard has really done it all for Memphis this season, especially while Morant has been sidelined at times due to injury.
Bane is potentially Memphis' most reliable player on both ends of the court and rarely gets the credit he deserves. With his historic performance on Friday night in a win over the Mavericks, surely more people realize exactly what Bane can do.
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