The Dallas Mavericks pulled off a stunning 121-116 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, rallying from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter. A controversial free-throw disparity played a significant role in the Mavericks’ comeback, sparking frustration from the Grizzlies’ camp, especially from Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins.
Heading into the final period, the Grizzlies held a 95-82 lead. However, the Mavericks turned the tide with a significant boost at the free-throw line, attempting 26 foul shots in the fourth quarter alone, compared to just three for Memphis.
According to ESPN, this 23-attempt difference is the largest free-throw gap in a single fourth quarter in NBA history. After the game, Taylor Jenkins expressed his concerns about the free-throw disparity, especially in the context of the NBA Cup competition.
“I don’t know how in an NBA Cup game you’ll have that big of a disparity. I’m going to be careful in my words and stuff, but I hope it’s very clear. In an NBA Cup game, I don’t know how a team shoots 30 more free throws,” Jenkins said.
Coach Jenkins took a matter-of-fact approach to addressing the 44-14 free-throw attempt disparity. pic.twitter.com/lWu6yvUv2t
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“I don’t really understand how a team shoots 27 free throws in an NBA Cup game, and we’re a downhill team. I’ll leave it at that,” he added.
Taylor Jenkins Highlights Lessons From Loss To Dallas
The Memphis Grizzlies fell to 14-8 following their close loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night. The defeat places the Grizzlies just one spot behind the Mavericks, who also hold a 14-8 record. After the game, Taylor Jenkins emphasized that the loss to Dallas, while disappointing, offers valuable lessons for his team.
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“I don’t think it’s about what they did last year or anything like that. I think it’s a quality opponent, and we knew this was gonna be a tough test. And I thought outside of the first quarter where Luca was on fire, we did a lot of great things,” Jenkins said.
The Grizzlies will have an opportunity to bounce back when they face the Sacramento Kings on Thursday.
