NBA Play-in Tournament: Ja Morant Leads Grizzlies to Victory, Heat Stun Hawks
In a thrilling display of skill and determination, Ja Morant led the Memphis Grizzlies to a 120-106 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA play-in tournament on Friday night. The win secured the No 8 seed for the Grizzlies, who will now face top-seeded Oklahoma City in Game 1 on Sunday.
According to The Guardian, Morant, who had been listed as questionable earlier in the day due to a sprained right ankle, was a force to be reckoned with, scoring 16 of his 22 points in the first half [1]. The guard’s impressive performance included a high-flying, one-handed slam dunk that had teammate Desmond Bane exclaiming "Showtime!" as Morant elevated to incredible heights.
Morant’s ankle injury, sustained in the third quarter of Tuesday’s game against Golden State, had raised concerns about his availability for the play-in game. However, the 24-year-old was determined to play, stating "I couldn’t feel it… so I was out there" [1]. Despite occasionally limping to the free throw line, Morant played 33 minutes, finishing with nine rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.
The Grizzlies’ win was a wire-to-wire victory, with Morant’s impressive performance setting the tone for the team. As The Guardian reports, injuries limited Morant to 50 games during the regular season, but he has a history of delivering in the playoffs, having played 19 postseason games in Memphis’ three berths [1].
In other play-in action, the Miami Heat stunned the Atlanta Hawks 123-114 in overtime, becoming the first No 10 seed in either conference to make the playoffs since the current play-in format was introduced in the 2020-21 season. Tyler Herro scored 30 points, including two crucial three-pointers in overtime, while Davion Mitchell added three three-pointers in the extra period to seal the win for Miami.
As noted by The Guardian, the Heat will now face Cleveland on Sunday night in the opening game of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs [1]. Trae Young led the Hawks with 29 points and 11 assists, but it was not enough to overcome Miami’s strong team performance.
The Hawks’ loss was a disappointing end to a strong season, with the team having tied the game at 106-106 with 1.3 seconds remaining in regulation. However, Miami’s determination and depth ultimately paid off, with the Heat becoming the first play-in team to advance with two road wins.
As reported by The Guardian, Miami started strongly, scoring the game’s first 10 points and leading by 17 points at 45-28 in the second period [1]. However, the Hawks fought back, tying the game at 88-88 on a layup by Terance Mann. Young’s three-pointer gave Atlanta its first lead at 91-88, but Miami responded with a series of clutch performances to secure the win.
The NBA play-in tournament continues on Sunday, with the Grizzlies facing Oklahoma City and Miami taking on Cleveland. With the competition heating up, fans can expect more thrilling performances from the league’s top players.
References:
[1] The Guardian: Mavericks, Grizzlies, Heat, Hawks: NBA play-in tournament – live. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/apr/18/mavericks-grizzlies-heat-hawks-play-in-tournament
