Inside Report: Grizzlies-Mavericks preview — Possible playoff preview set at AAC on Sunday

Earl K. Sneed previews the Mavericks' Sunday matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies, as the two teams conclude their season series while also fighting for playoff seeding.

DALLAS — The Mavericks’ matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday evening could mean much more than just the Dallas team’s opportunity to knot the Southwest Division season series at 2-2.

It could also be a potential playoff preview.

While the Mavericks (45-16) try to chase down San Antonio for the top seed in the Western Conference playoff picture, the Grizzlies (34-29) are likewise trying to move up the standings in a tight race with New Orleans for the right to claim the seventh slot instead of the No. 8 seed.

That puts even more importance on Sunday’s tip-off at the American Airlines Center, as the two squads jockey for postseason positioning and divisional supremacy.

“Everyone is going to be in playoff mode,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “The eighth position is being heavily competed for. The positions up top are extremely competitive. So, it’s gonna come down to the last day like it always does.”

Still, the Mavericks would like nothing more than to get even with the Grizzlies one final time in the regular season, after suffering an 89-70 defeat in Memphis back on Jan. 15 in the midst of a six-game losing streak. And after winning eight straight contests and 18 of their last 19 outings, the Mavs will seek revenge while also trying to continue their hot play of late. But the showdown also takes on a different light because of the Mavericks’ schedule this week, beginning a four-games-in-five-nights stretch on Sunday in the midst of a very difficult patch on the calendar.

“We’ve got Memphis coming in here on Sunday, a team that beat us the last time we played them,” sixth man Jason Terry said. “It’s gonna test us mentality and physically, it’s gonna tell you a lot about your team, at this point in the season playing four in five nights. We’re gonna see what we’re made of, but I think we’re up for the task and we’re excited.”

Terry also admits that some of that excitement rest in seeing what swingman Corey Brewer can provide to the team, after a quiet debut Friday night when he went scoreless and racked up five fouls in just over five minutes of action. But the Mavs are also giddy because this time around they hope to have leading scorer Dirk Nowitzki on the court for more than 15 minutes, after he returned from a nine-game absence with a sprained right knee only to be ejected from that January meeting with the Grizzlies in the third quarter for arguing with officials. It was just the fourth ejection of his career and the first since March of 2010.

Nowitzki wasn’t the only 7-footer missing in action that night, however, after starting center Tyson Chandler was forced out of the game due to an illness. Sunday, the Mavs will once again be minus Chandler, this time due to a sprained right ankle.

Chandler missed the team’s 116-108 home victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, watching on as his subs — Brendan Haywood and Ian Mahinmi — registered a combined 17 points and 10 rebounds. For that reason, Carlisle remains confident despite the recent loss of Chandler, believing that the two reserve big men are ready to contend with the Grizzlies’ Zach Randolph inside.

Mahinmi posted a career-high 17 points on a perfect 6-for-6 from the floor and 5-of-6 at the foul line in the January loss to Memphis, earning his coach’s praise.

“You can tell the work [Mahinmi] has put in on his outside shot, on his driving to the basket and those kinds of things. It’s really paying off, and he gave us great energy. So, I love the way he played,” Carlisle said after the loss.

“Good for me, I had a good game, but I’d rather have a bad game and us win it,” Mahinmi added.

He’ll have his chance to make amends on Sunday, as will the Mavs, as they bid for a ninth straight victory with Chandler once again forced to watch from the sideline in street clothes.

Note: The Mavericks begin a stretch of four games in five nights on Sunday, hosting the Memphis Grizzlies to conclude the four-game Southwest Division season series. The Mavs will be out to tie the series at 2-2. The game will tip off at 6:30 p.m. CT, airing locally on Fox Sports Southwest. Great seats are still available and tickets can be purchased by visiting the American Airlines Center box office, logging on to Mavs.com or by calling 214-747-MAVS (6287).

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Fans can visit Mavs.com or call 214.747.MAVS for more information and a complete listing of regular-season home games.