<p>MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ja Morant had 24 points, eight assists and seven rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies used a third-quarter burst to beat the Dallas Mavericks 133-104 on Tuesday night. </p>
<p>Dillon Brooks added 22 points and John Konchar had a season-high 18 for the Grizzlies. Kyle Anderson scored 15 points, including 10 in the key third quarter as Memphis continues to try and move up in the Western Conference standings.</p>
<p>While both teams are in the postseason, they still can improve their seedings. Memphis, which earned a spot in the play-in tournament with Monday night’s win over New Orleans, still has a chance to move up to eighth.</p>
<p>The Mavericks, who are on the cusp of claiming the sixth spot in the West, will have to wait before clinching a spot to avoid the Western Conference’s play-in tournament. </p>
<p>Tim Hardaway Jr. led the Mavericks with 19 points, while Willie Cauley-Stein finished with a season-high 16 points. Jalen Brunson scored 15, while leading scorer Luka Doncic managed 12 points but was 4 of 16 from the floor and missed all four of his 3-point attempts.</p>
<p>Memphis outscored the Mavericks 36-25 in the third quarter to take a 96-82 lead entering the fourth. Anderson keyed the rally hitting his first five shots in the quarter and Morant scored 11 in the frame.</p>
<p>That lead would swell to 104-82 with 10 minutes left and Dallas coach Rick Carlisle pulled his starters, spelling the end of the Mavericks four-game winning streak.</p>
<p>Both teams were playing without key frontline players. Jonas Valanciunas sat out with a sore back for Memphis, while Jaren Jackson continued to take periodic games off under left knee surgery recovery.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis missed his seventh straight game for Dallas with right knee soreness.</p>
<p>Brooks connected on a 3-pointer at the end of the first half to provide Memphis a 60-57 lead at intermission. Hardaway had 15 in the half for Dallas, including connecting on 3 of 5 from outside the arc.</p>
<p>Morant had 11 in the first quarter and 13 in the half to lead Memphis.</p>
<p>TIP-INS</p>
<p>Mavericks: Dwight Powell was ejected from the game after he struck Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke in the head on a block attempt in the fourth quarter. …Porzingis participated in pregame warmups before the game but was previously ruled out. Coach Rick Carlisle, as he discussed Monday, said the 7-foot-3 C/F is “targeted to play (Wednesday)”, when Dallas faces New Orleans. … Cauley-Stein started his fifth straight game. Cauley-Stein’s previous high this season was 15 points against Houston on Jan. 4. …Hardaway connected on his 200th 3-pointer of the season. Of the three seasons, Dallas has a player make 200 3-pointers, Hardaway has two of them. …G JJ Redick left the game in the second quarter with right heel soreness and did not return.</p>
<p>Grizzlies: Rookie Xavier Tillman started his 11th game of the season filling in for Valanciunas. … Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said of Valanciunas: “Just got a little back soreness, and we want to take advantage of him getting healthy. It’s nothing serious.” Jenkins expects Valanciunas and Jackson available for Thursday’s game against Sacramento. </p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Mavericks: Host the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.</p>
<p>Grizzlies: Entertain Sacramento on Thursday in the first of back-to-back games with the Kings.</p>
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