This game was the long awaited injury return of star point guard Ja Morant who appeared in just nine games last season. Morant was suspended for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season due to his gun video incidents that occurred the season prior.

On Monday, Memphis traveled to Dallas for a preseason matchup against the Mavericks, providing fans their first glimpse of the connection between Morant and rookie Zach Edey, the former Purdue standout. They certainly didn’t disappoint.

The Mavericks didn’t have the luxury of playing with four of their five projected starters in Monday’s preseason opening 121-116 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, but the exhibition game served as an opportunity for others to get extended minutes.