LAS VEGAS – Almost before the Dallas Mavericks even had any designs on winning their first game at the NBA 2k25 Summer League, the Memphis Grizzlies quickly took those chances away.
The Grizzlies put up a ferocious defensive front in forcing a whopping 27 turnovers en route to defeating the Mavs, 108-88, Monday night at Cox Pavilion. The loss dropped the Mavs
to 0-2 going into Wednesday’s game at 2 p.m. Dallas time at the Thomas & Mack Center against the Miami Heat.
Before fans could settle in their seats, the Mavs committed six turnovers less than six minutes into the game and fell behind, 13-0. At one point late in the first quarter the Mavs had chalked up 11 turnovers and were just 2-of-11 from the field while trailing, 25-4.
By the time the first quarter concluded the Grizzlies led, 30-11, and the Mavs had accumulated 12 turnovers and were 3-of-13 from the field and just 2-of-8 from the free throw line.
“They forced 31 turnovers their last game versus Sacramento,” Mavs summer league coach Jared Dudley said, in assessing the Grizzlies. “This team is very good defensively.
“You saw their guards ball-pressure. (Scotty) Pippen Jr. literally took the game from us in the first quarter — just his ball-pressure. I’ve never personally seen so many steals in the 
backcourt lead straight to layups.”
Even when the Mavs finally tried to get themselves upright, the Grizzlies countered with another avalanche of tenacious defensive plays.
The Mavs closed to within 61-46 with 7:26 left in the third quarter. But the Grizzlies stepped on the gas again with a 19-0 blitz that padded their lead to 80-46.
“Memphis is a great team,” said Mavs forward Emanuel Miller, who finished with 12 points, six rebounds and four steals. “They did a good job of pressuring us.
“I think coming down to the next game it’s just more executing our game plan. We knew ahead of time — the last game they played they forced 31 turnovers – that they’re great at forcing turnovers. It’s just a matter of slowing the game down and executing ourselves.”
The Mavs converted 30-of-63 shots for a solid 47.6 percent from the field. But due to the Dallas turnovers, the Grizzlies had 14 more field goal attempts and were 42-of-77 from the
field for 54.5 percent.
“You can’t have 27 (turnovers),” Dudley said. “Even for the Mavericks, when we have 17-18 (turnovers), it’s a recipe for losing. And for them, it wasn’t like there was a 2-2-1 (defensive scheme). It was a 1-on-1, man-to-man ball pressure.
“The refs let you be physical, but that’s how it is. We tried all different combinations of different guards. Their pressure forced us to play a tempo that we weren’t accustomed to playing, and because of that turnovers were rampant.”
Olivier-Maxence Prosper led the Mavs with 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. And he was 6-of-14 from the field, which was an improvement over the 2-of-11 showing from the floor during Saturday’s 90-89 loss to the Utah Jazz.
“Today was better, but a lot of times he shot the threes, which I don’t mind (because) they were open,” Dudley said. “He shot a couple of fadeaways that I don’t want him to shoot, and when he drove I thought finally he was patient with the pump fake.
“I’m trying to get him in different positions and sometimes you’ve got to have the feel of the game.”
Also for the Mavs, AJ Lawson scored 14 points and Brandon Williams tossed in 11 points.
Second-round draft pick, Melvin Ajinca, didn’t fare as well against the Grizzlies as he did against the Jazz. After collecting 13 points and five boards against the Jazz, Ajinca was held to five points on 1-of-5 shooting.
“So much has been thrown at him,” Dudley said. “He’s real, real quiet. He has to get a little vocal, which it takes a while for everyone.
“But he has the tools, and he’s the one I try to have bring the ball up, initiate the offense. He had some good looks at the catch-and-shoots.”
The Mavs really want to see Prosper amp his game up a notch or two after they made him a first-round pick last summer. And he did drill a long jumper to stop the 19-0 run by the Grizzlies.
“I thought he shot the ball pretty well,” Dudley said. “He just has to make his reads.
“He wants it really, really bad and it’s our job to every game make it a little bit slower and a little bit slower. So, I’m hoping these last three games that we have that we can do a better job and try to get him better again.”
The Grizzlies were so quick and aggressive that they were able to pick up 16 steals.
“We told them, ‘Listen, if you drive at the nail and you don’t give it up, and you drive out of this slot and you don’t pass to the corner, it’s going to be a long night because these guys get after you,” Dudley said. “They play in sync, they’ve already had the Utah summer league to work out the kinks to how they play, and they play together (and are) well-coached team.
“Salute to them. Our guys, we just weren’t ready today and that falls on me as the coach to get them better and get back tomorrow in practice.”
X: @DwainPrice
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