MAVERICKS (35-24) at UTAH JAZZ (36-22)
Time: 8 p.m. Friday.
Place: Vivant Arena, Salt Lake City.
TV: Bally’s Sports Southwest
Radio: The Eagle 97.1 FM; Univision Zona MX 99.1 FM (Spanish)
About the Mavericks: As they get back to work after the All-Star break, there will be no tiptoeing back into action. Three hard road games await them, starting with the Jazz, then visits to Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers . . . And if they have any intentions of catching Utah for the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, this game would be a wonderful spot to make those intentions known. The Mavericks lost their first trip to Utah on Christmas and another setback would mean the Jazz clinch no worse than a push in the season series, which could be crucial for playoff tiebreakers. The Jazz come to Dallas twice in March. The Mavericks are two games behind the Jazz in the loss column, so staying within range is critical . . . They were as hot as any team before the break, winning road games at Miami and New Orleans and taking 18 of 24 since New Year’s Eve . . . They’ve done it with defense. Over the last seven games (six wins) they have kept five of the opponents under 100 points. They remain fifth in the NBA in total defensive rating. They also are No. 1 in fewest 3-pointers made against them (10.6 per game) . . . If you’re wondering if Luka Dončić is on a serious binge, quit wondering. He is. The 6-7 point guard has averaged 33.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists over the last 11 games. The Mavericks are 8-3 in those games. He’s also had four 40-point-plus games in the eight before the break, including three of 45 points or more in the last four . . . Consider yourself a MFFL graduate student if you knew Dwight Powell is the only Maverick to play all 59 games so far, starting 48 . . . The Mavs are six point underdogs, according to bovada.com.
About the Jazz: They had a lull in January, going 4-12 for the month. That’s what happens when you’re two best players, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, end up on the injured list. When they returned, the Jazz ran off six consecutive victories before losing at the Lakers in the final game before the break . . . For any fans who think Utah would be a good foe for the Mavericks to get in the first round of the playoffs, consider that they not only have the perennial defensive player of the year candidate in the 7-1 Gobert, they also have the No. 1 offense in the league, averaging an awesome 116.3 points per 100 possessions. They make more 3-pointers than anybody else, too, (14.5 per game) . . . In the six games before the break, Mitchell shot 43.1 percent from 3-point range (50 percent overall) and averaged 27.3 points, 6 rebounds and 5.5 assists . . . Gobert once again is leading the league in blocked shots at nearly 2.3 per game. He also is virtually an automatic double-double, averaging 15.7 points and 14.8 rebounds . . . There was a time when Jalen Brunson was considered a threat to Jordan Clarkson for sixth man of the year, but since Brunson will be starting his 41st game, that goal is off the table. Clarkson is averaging 15.5 points in 26 minutes per game, all but one of them off the bench . . . Mike Conley runs the show from the point, averaging 13.8 points and 5.3 assists per game . . . The home team has won four in a row in this series. Plus, the Jazz are 6-0 this month at Vivant Arena. The Jazz have won 10 in a row in Utah against the Mavericks, who technically own a “road” win against the Jazz two seasons back in the Orlando bubble.
Twitter: @ESefko
Share and comment