It’s win-or-go-home time in the West, and the Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies are about to go at it in a high-stakes Play-In matchup for the final playoff spot. This is the end of the road for one team. For the other? A first-round date with OKC. Truly, the NBA’s version of a participation trophy.

Still, both teams will treat this Play-In like Game 7 of the Finals, and the Mavericks are suddenly looking a whole lot scarier with a certain big man back in the mix.

Remember when Anthony Davis was limping around with an adductor strain, and half the league thought he might be done for the year? Yeah, about that—he’s fine now. In fact, he just casually dropped 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocks on Sacramento’s head in the last game, helping Dallas swat the Kings out of the Play-In.

That said, Anthony Davis is still technically listed as day-to-day with that lingering adductor strain, but if you caught his performance against the Kings, you’d wonder if the injury report is just for vibes. He looked sharp, mobile, and fully in control. So, unless his leg falls off before tip-off, expect AD to be in the lineup. And even then, he might still be listed as “questionable.” He’s that important for the Mavs right now.

And just to make things more unfair, Klay Thompson decided to turn the clock back to 2018. He hit five of seven from deep and finished with 23 points, reminding everyone that when he’s hot, he doesn’t even need to dribble.

Then there was Brandon Williams, who came off the bench, dropped 17 points in 18 minutes, and played like someone who just found out this game might be his job interview for the next season. (Spoiler alert, it is.) Brother, meanwhile, is also day-to-day with an oblique issue. But after the way he came off the bench and torched Sacramento, Dallas is probably already prepping the ice packs and painkillers. He brought serious energy, hit big shots, and looked like a guy trying to make a case for more minutes. The Mavericks would love to have him in the mix again tonight, especially with the rotation tightening up.

Bottom line, it’s an elimination game. If you can jog in a straight line, you’re playing. Because with everything on the line, availability and impact from Davis and Williams could make all the difference.

Ja Morant’s Rim Attacks Set to Clash With Anthony Davis and Mavericks’ Interior Defense

The Memphis Grizzlies have been driving to the basket like they’re trying to crash a party uninvited. They’re No. 1 in the league for drives per game (59.3), all thanks to Ja Morant. He tweaked his ankle in that match that ended in a loss against the Warriors. But he finished the game and is expected to be out there for this win-or-go-home matchup.

But here’s the kicker: waiting for him in the paint is Anthony Davis. ‘The Brow’ isn’t about to let Ja casually stroll to the hoop. The Mavericks have been leaning hard on Davis to lock things down defensively, and let’s be real—he’s been doing just that.

But Memphis isn’t just dealing with the former LA superstar—they’ve got a turnover problem, too. The Grizzlies average 15.7 turnovers per game, which, let’s be honest, is like handing the ball to the other team on a silver platter. So, unless Memphis can suddenly stop coughing up the ball and find a way past Davis, this could get ugly real quick.

It’s a win-or-go-home scenario, and for the team that doesn’t bring their A-game, the road to the playoffs will end in heartbreak. The stakes couldn’t be higher—this one’s gonna be a war. And we wouldn’t have it any other way!