Dallas @ Memphis preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 7, 2019 ) Dallas 129, Memphis 127

The Dallas Mavericks will try to stay perfect on the road when they begin a three-game swing at the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night. The Mavericks, who are 3-0 away from home while averaging 121 points, enter the trip on a sour note after dropping a 106-102 decision to Eastern Conference cellar dwellar New York on Friday.

Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis combined for 66 points and both shot 50 percent from the floor, but their teammates were 13-of-42 as Dallas saw a two-game winning streak come to an end. Doncic also had 14 rebounds and 10 assists for his NBA-leading fourth triple-double of the season, but he missed a 3-pointer in the closing seconds that would've tied the game and the Mavericks could never quite gain control after a sluggish start. "I thought the first quarter was really the part of the game that we didn't recover from," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told reporters. "...It was not the right way to start this game off." The Grizzlies had a slow start of their own and an even worse finish en route to a 118-86 loss at Orlando on Friday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), FS Southeast (Memphis)

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (5-3): Porzingis, who also had nine rebounds and five blocked shots, may sit out the second half of the back-to-back as he continues his recovery from a left knee injury. If so, Dallas will need much more out of fellow forward Dwight Powell after he was held to one point in 27 minutes against the Knicks. Tim Hardaway Jr. was the only other Maverick other than Porzingis and Doncic to score in double figures Friday, recording 14 points for his sixth straight double-digit effort off the bench.

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (2-6): The Memphis backcourt struggled mightily at Orlando, as rookie Ja Morant was held to a season-low eight points on 3-of-13 from the field and fellow guard Dillon Brooks missed all seven of his shots, finishing with three points. The young Grizzlies were outscored by 12 points in the first quarter and then were throttled 34-8 in the fourth while falling to 0-3 on the road. "It's something that we've faced a couple of times this season, and eventually we'll break through," coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters of trying to play a complete game. "It's unfortunate you have to take your lumps early in the season, especially with a young team. ... We just have to be consistent for four quarters."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Brooks scored 31 points on 9-of-16 shooting in his previous game.

2. Doncic had eight turnovers Friday and is averaging 6.3 per contest in November.

3. Memphis won the first three meetings last season before Dallas claimed the finale in overtime.

PREDICTION: Mavericks 104, Grizzlies 101