PREVIEW
JAZZ (34-18) AT MAVS (32-21)
Time: 7:30 p.m. CT
Place: American Airlines Center, Dallas
TV: FSSW
Radio: ESPN 103.3 FM; Univision 1270 AM (Spanish)
About the Mavs: This is the first of two games the Mavs will play before the All-Star break. Both will be in Dallas, including Wednesday’s matchup against the Sacramento Kings. . .Luka Doncic has missed the last six games with a right ankle sprain, and the Mavs have listed him as out for tonight’s game. But they are hopeful that the second-year point guard will be able to play against the Kings before he heads to Chicago for All-Star Weekend. The Mavs have posted a 3-3 record while Doncic sat the last six games. They were 2-2 in games he missed in December with a similar injury. . .With his parents in attendance, guard Seth Curry came off the bench Saturday in Charlotte to hit his first 10 shots and lead the Mavs to a convincing 116-100 triumph over the Hornets. He finished with 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting. Curry helped the Mavs’ bench outscore their Charlotte counterparts, 54-27. . .Also for the Mavs against the Hornets, center Willie Cauley-Stein was 7-of-7 from the floor and collected 15 points and 10 rebounds. . .The Mavs are hopeful of turning around their fortunes at home, where they’re only 14-13. . .Overall, the Mavs are 73-101 all-time against the Jazz, including a 51-35 record during games played in Dallas. . .The Jazz outscored the Mavs, 32-23, in the fourth quarter and went on to eke out a 112-107 victory 17 days ago in Utah . . . It doesn’t seem to happen very often, but they will be the rested team for this game, waiting in Dallas for the Jazz, who had to play in Houston on Sunday evening.
About the Jazz: This is an important road trip for them, which started with a thrilling win in Houston on Sunday . . . From an 11-point win over Minnesota on Dec. 11 to a five-point win over the Mavs on Jan 25, the Jazz were the hottest team in the NBA during that stretch with a very impressive 19-2 record. But Utah fell on hard times with five consecutive losses. However, they come to Dallas following two straight memorable victories. . .Last Friday in Utah, the Jazz won a controversial 117-114 game against the Portland Trail Blazers. Utah led the Blazers, 116-114, when center Rudy Gobert blocked Damian Lillard’s driving layup with 13.3 seconds remaining. Lillard and the Blazers were incensed, especially after replays indicated that Gobert should have been whistled for goaltending on the play. And on Saturday, the NBA’s Last Two Minute Report confirmed that Gobert should have indeed been called for goaltending. In addition, the Jazz upended the Rockets in Houston in dramatic fashion on Sunday, 114-113, when Bojan Bogdanovic drained a 3-pointer as time expired. . . Gobert was very instrumental in Utah’s 112-107 win over the Mavs on Jan. 25. With the Jazz leading 109-107, Gobert switched over and came out of nowhere to block Delon Wright’s layup attempt with just 24.8 seconds remaining in the game. Donovan Mitchell iced the game with 22.3 ticks left by draining a pair of free throws.
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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