Dallas Mavericks vs Memphis Grizzlies Prediction and Betting Tips for 2025 NBA Play-In Tournament | April 18, 2025

The Dallas Mavericks vs Memphis Grizzlies matchup is one of two NBA play-in tournament games scheduled for Friday. The team that wins qualifies as the eighth seed in the West and faces the OKC Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.

The two teams have played each other 116 times in the regular season, with the Mavs holding a 76-40 lead. They have also met four times in the playoffs, with Dallas triumphing in all four matchups. The two teams played four times this regular season, as Memphis won the series 3-1.

They last played on Sunday when the Grizzlies won 132-97 and were led by Lamar Stevens’ 31 points, while Daniel Gafford had 20 points for the Mavericks.

Dallas Mavericks vs Memphis Grizzlies game details and odds

The Dallas Mavericks vs Memphis Grizzlies NBA play-in tournament game is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 18, at FedExForum. The matchup will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. Fans can also stream it live on NBA League Pass and FuboTV.

Moneyline: Mavericks (+210) vs. Grizzlies (-260)

Spread: Mavericks (+6.5) vs. Grizzlies (-6.5)

Total (O/U): Mavericks -110 (o221) vs. Grizzlies -110 (u221)

Editor's note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.

Dallas Mavericks vs Memphis Grizzlies preview

The Mavericks almost seemed to be out of playoff contention after a series of injuries crippled their starting rotation. The first major injury was to Anthony Davis in his Dallas debut, as he went down with a left adductor strain. Kyrie Irving kept the team afloat, but he suffered a torn ACL as well.

When all hopes seemed to be dwindling, Davis made a return to the lineup, and Dallas qualified for the play-in tourney as the final team. It already upset the Sacramento Kings 120-106 on the road on Wednesday, led by Davis’ 27 points and nine rebounds.

Klay Thompson, who finished his storied tenure with the Golden State Warriors with a 0-for-10 shooting performance against Sacramento in a play-in game last season, caught fire as well for 23 points.

The Grizzlies are coming off a tough 121-116 loss to the Warriors on Tuesday. After trailing by as many as 20 points before taking the lead, the team was dealt a series of bad cards that eventually saw it lose the game.

First, Ja Morant went down with a right ankle sprain in the third quarter. While he did return, he never looked the same. He had 18 points when he injured his ankle and finished with 22 points on the night.

Second, the Grizzlies were the recipient of a questionable five-second call late in the game that took away their chance to equalize when down 119-116.

Morant is listed as questionable for Friday’s game. However, given the importance, he is expected to suit up.

Dallas Mavericks vs Memphis Grizzlies betting props

Anthony Davis’ points total is set at 27.5. He didn’t cross that mark on Wednesday as he sat out most of the final quarter because of the blowout nature of the game. However, he should be able to cross that mark on Friday.

Ja Morant’s points total is set at 26.5. While he is listed as questionable, we expect him to play. Bet on Morant to score over 26.5 points.

Dallas Mavericks vs Memphis Grizzlies prediction and betting tips

The oddsmakers favor the Grizzlies to get a win at home. We, however, expect Dallas to be dominant despite Irving’s absence. Davis and Co. should have enough to eke out a win and qualify for the playoffs. This should be a high-scoring game with the team total going past 221 points.