Herrington: Grizzlies, Mavs meet in a game neither expected to be playing
Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (15) handles the ball in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat on March 15 in Memphis. (Brandon Dill/AP)
Chris Herrington
Chris Herrington has covered the Memphis Grizzlies, in one way or another, since the franchise’s second season in Memphis, while also writing about music, movies, food and civic life. As far as he knows, he’s the only member of the Professional Basketball Writers Association who is also a member of a film critics group and has also voted in national music critic polls for Rolling Stone and the Village Voice (RIP). He and his wife have two kids and, for reasons that sometimes elude him, three dogs.
On Friday night at FedExForum (8:30 p.m. ESPN), the Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks will play a “We Didn’t Intend to Be Here” game.
These aren’t play-in tournament teams breaking through like the Grizzlies in a similar spot in 2020 and 2021. These are play-in teams just trying to hold on, and one will lose its grip by the time the Friday clock strikes midnight.
The Mavericks were in the NBA Finals last spring and then added title-tested veteran shooter Klay Thompson in the offseason to aid what they hoped would be another run.
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