There may be a significant age gap between Ja Morant and Kyrie Irving but the two NBA stars have developed a close relationship over the last few years.

The Mavericks were engaged in a tight slugfest with the struggling Grizzlies well into the final minutes of the game. Fans celebrated as two-way guard Brandon Williams and Naji Marshall produced career nights, but the Mavericks couldn’t overcome Memphis’ star duo of Ja Morant and Desmond Bane.

Ja Morant scored 31 points (24 in the second half) to help the Grizzlies end their four-game losing streak. Desmond Bane also had a big night: 27 points, a career-high 16 rebounds and six assists.

It's a fight for playoff positioning when the Memphis Grizzlies (38-24) face the Dallas Mavericks (32-31) on Friday night.