Preview: Mavericks at Grizzlies, March 12, 2026

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Interstat) — Two teams near the bottom of the Western Conference standings meet Thursday night when the Dallas Mavericks visit the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum.

The Mavericks (21-43) arrive on a six-game losing skid, including a 124-105 home loss to these same Grizzlies on Feb. 27. Their most recent outing was a 122-92 defeat in Toronto on Sunday. Dallas has lost 12 of its last 14 games.

Memphis (23-40) has also struggled, dropping seven of its last 10. The Grizzlies are coming off a 126-115 road loss to Brooklyn on Monday.

A key matchup will feature Dallas center Daniel Gafford against Memphis guard Rayan Rupert. Gafford is coming off a strong 21-point, 11-rebound performance against the Raptors and has averaged a double-double over his last three games. He was limited to 14 points and five rebounds in the late-February meeting with Memphis.

Rupert is emerging for the Grizzlies, coming off a career-high 20 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 36 minutes against the Nets. He was instrumental in the Feb. 27 win over Dallas, posting a plus-21 rating in 25 minutes.

The season series has been dominated by Memphis, which has won all three meetings in 2025-26 by an average margin of 15.7 points. The Grizzlies won 124-105 in Dallas last month and 118-104 in Memphis on Nov. 7.

For Dallas, rookie forward Cooper Flagg remains a bright spot, contributing 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the loss to Toronto. Memphis will look for continued production from guards Javon Small and Jaylen Wells, who combined for 36 points against Brooklyn.

Both teams are in the midst of difficult stretches as the season winds down, making this a contest for pride and potential momentum before the schedule intensifies. Dallas begins a back-to-back set in Cleveland on Friday, while Memphis travels to Detroit.