OnOff
DALLAS, TX — All-Star Luka Doncic missed his seventh straight game tonight due to a sprained right ankle. Dallas (32-22) would need to rely on other players especially from the bench to help chip in on the scoring tonight against the Utah Jazz (35-18).
Dallas looked to split the season series between Utah but couldn’t recover after being down by 21 points at halftime.
Tim Hardaway Jr. got on the board first for the Mavs by draining a 3-pointer but sooner after Utah’s Donovan Mitchell answered right back by sinking a 3-pointer of his own. For the majority of the opening quarter it would be a game of ping pong. There were seven lead changes and neither team led by more than eight points.
Hardaway Jr. led Dallas with 10 points in the first quarter on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor. Bojan Bogdonovic and Mitchell posted eight points each to lead the Jazz. The Mavs kept it a close game early on and trailed by eight points going into the second quarter.
It seemed as if Utah switched gears and played more aggressively in the second frame. The Jazz began the quarter on a 7-3 run and never let the Mavs get too close. Rudy Gobert had an accurate night of shooting with 5-of-5 shooting from the floor all while pulling down 13 rebounds-10 of which were defensive-at halftime.
The absence of Doncic was definitely felt as Dallas trailed by at least 20 points several times in the second quarter.
Utah remained on top 71-50 going into the locker room at halftime.
Dallas came out of the locker room looking more energized and started knocking down shot after shot leading to a 22-9 run.
Kristaps Porzingis sank a 3-pointer to cut the deficit down to eight points with just under seven minutes left in the third quarter.
On a fast break, Delon Wright launched the ball to Hardaway Jr. for a slam dunk finish making it a five-point game. For the first time since the first quarter, Dallas was within striking distance to steal the lead.
Don’t call it a comeback just yet because Jordan Clarkson nailed a 3-pointer and just like that Utah was up by nine points with 3:47 minutes left in the third frame. The momentum shifted back to Utah as the Jazz went on a 17-4 run to end the third quarter.
The fourth quarter started to look eerily similar to the second. That is until they found some light at the end of the tunnel. With 3:52 left in the game, Clarkson received his sixth personal foul and had to head to the bench for the remainder of the game. He finished with 25 points (10-of-17), 8 assists, and 5 rebounds. Clarkson also finished with his eighth 20-point performance since joining Utah.
With just under two minutes in play, Mitchell made a jump shot to push the Jazz ahead 123-116. Taking the game down to the wire was all too familiar for Utah after just the night before beating the Houston Rockets 114-113 at the buzzer.
That much needed run by Dallas never happened causing Utah to seal the victory 123-119.
The Jazz now lead the season series 2-0 with their final meeting right before playoffs.
Utah looked a bit fatigued in the third quarter but ultimately put together a complete game. The Jazz won the battle of the boards tonight by outrebounding the Mavs 45-26. They also finished with a decent night of shooting going 46-of-78 (59.0%) from the floor.
LEADING SCORERS
J. Clarkson – 25 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds
T. Hardaway Jr. – season high 33 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Worth mentioning, Hardaway Jr. surpassed 6,000 career points tonight and has been solid during Doncic’s absence.
Dallas is now 6-10 in their last 16 home games but look to bounce back on Wednesday against Sacramento in their final game before the NBA All-Star break.
