In a bid to secure their inaugural victory of the preseason, the Dallas Mavericks faced off against the Utah Jazz on Thursday night, hoping to bounce back from their earlier defeat against the Memphis Grizzlies. The stakes were slightly higher this time, as they welcomed star players Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving to the lineup for the first time this season.
However, the Mavs were still missing key players like Luka Doncic and P.J. Washington, who were held out due to various injuries. The Dallas starting five featured Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, Thompson, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, and Dereck Lively II, while Utah fielded Keyontae George, Collin Sexton, Lauri Markkanen, Taylor Hendrick, and Walker Kessler. With two victories already under their belt, the Jazz entered the game looking to extend their winning streak.
The matchup started off slow for the Mavs, who stumbled out of the gate by missing their initial five attempts. After being unable to find their rhythm, they finally got on the scoreboard thanks to Prosper’s second-chance bucket. A tight first quarter ended at 6-6 as both teams struggled offensively, combining for a dismal 5-for-21 shooting performance. As Thompson searched for his shooting touch, he managed to set up Lively II for an impressive dunk after faking out his defender.
Defensively, the Mavs adopted a zone strategy coming out of a media timeout, a potential glimpse into their regular-season game plan. Acknowledgment of defensive concerns arose with the replacement of Derrick Jones Jr. for Thompson, who is no longer the defensive stalwart he once was. However, the zone defense could help mitigate this issue.
As the first quarter progressed, the Jazz began to find their rhythm, draining three consecutive three-pointers to gain a slight lead. Nevertheless, Kyrie Irving responded with timely shots, keeping the Mavericks competitive. Tensions ran high when Daniel Gafford punctuated a fast break with a dunk, triggering a timeout from Jazz head coach Will Hardy. By the end of the first quarter, Utah led 24-18, exploiting free throw opportunities and a banked three from Isaiah Collier.
Thompson found his scoring touch in the second quarter, nailing a three-pointer to get Dallas rolling. However, Utah quickly retaliated and extended their lead to 11 points on back-to-back threes from an impressive Lauri Markkanen, who recently secured a lucrative contract extension.
Despite efforts from Irving and Dinwiddie to narrow the gap, the Mavs went through an offensive drought that allowed Utah to establish a commanding lead. By halftime, they were down 60-47, with Markkanen leading all scorers with 14 points and Clarkson not far behind with 13. This half would mark the end of Thompson and Irving’s contributions for the night, though Thompson managed to finish with 10 points.
The second half commenced with unfortunate news for Utah as Keyontae George, a promising young talent, sustained a non-contact knee injury amidst his pressure-filled performance. After making a tough three-pointer, he slipped and had to exit the game with assistance.
Despite this setback, the Jazz ballooned their advantage to 20 points midway through the third quarter, as Markkanen continued to shine. The Mavericks struggled without their star players, deteriorating into poor shot selections, careless turnovers, and uncharacteristically unselfish play that cost them valuable possessions.
A spark of energy from Gafford helped the Mavs reduce the deficit to 11 by the end of the third, with a score of 92-80 heading into the final period.
In the fourth quarter, the Jazz opted to keep their key players in the game, while the Mavs fielded a more inexperienced lineup. Dallas began to chip away at the lead, with Prosper’s free throws bringing the score to single digits. Late in the game, Jazian Gortman’s jumper cut the lead to eight, showcasing Dallas’s fighting spirit.
With just 26 seconds left, Prosper’s clutch three-pointer narrowed the gap to three points, and the Mavs’ hopes surged as they attempted to play defensively without fouling. Despite their efforts, Utah’s Sensabaugh sealed the victory from the free-throw line, concluding the game at 107-102 and leaving Dallas winless in preseason play.
Gafford stood out for the Mavs with 15 points from the bench, complemented by seven rebounds and three blocks. Noteworthy performances came from Irving, Hardy, Thompson, Dinwiddie, and Prosper, all hitting double figures. For Utah, Markkanen topped the scoresheet with a stellar 26 points, showcasing their three-point prowess as they finished 11-for-28, compared to Dallas’ lackluster 8-for-28.
With their turnover woes evident, the Mavs will aim to tighten up their game as they head into their next preseason outing against the Clippers at the new Intuit Dome on Monday at 9:30 p.m. CST.
