Desmond Bane leads injury-hit Memphis Grizzlies to win over Dallas Mavericks
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Image caption: Memphis Grizzlies have now won their last three matches on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks
Desmond Bane scored 32 points to help the injury-hit Memphis Grizzlies beat the Dallas Mavericks 120-103.
The Grizzlies went into the game without seven players including star guard Ja Morant, who will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.
That became eight when Marcus Smart was forced off with a dislocated finger, but Memphis held on for the win.
Elsewhere, Anthony Davis scored 41 points to help the Los Angeles Lakers edge the Toronto Raptors 132-131.
The lead changed hands 23 times in a thrilling encounter, but Davis scored 20 points in a decisive final quarter to help the Lakers overturn a six-point deficit and win consecutive games for the first time in over a month.
LeBron James added 22 points while five other Lakers players finished in double digits.
“All our guys came in and did a heck of a job,” Davis said. “Obviously there’s going to be a lot of attention on me and ‘Bron and that’s going to give the others a lot of open shots and open plays.
“We’ve just got to keep feeding them the ball, keep trusting them to keep making plays.”
Western Conference leaders Minnesota Timberwolves cruised to a comfortable 113-92 win over the Orlando Magic.
The Timberwolves led by 17 points at the end of the first quarter and were 34 points ahead at one stage in a dominant performance.
Karl-Anthony Towns top-scored with 28 points, with French international Rudy Gobert adding 21 points.
The New York Knicks made it five successive wins since the signing of OG Anunoby as they beat the Portland Trail Blazers 112-84.
London-born Anunoby top-scored with 23 points, his highest tally since being drafted from the Toronto Raptors on 30 December.
The Detroit Pistons’ struggles continued as they were beaten 131-110 by the Sacramento Kings for a 34th defeat of the season.