Utah Jazz Hold On To Defeat Dallas Mavericks 116-114
The Utah Jazz hosted the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night. The Jazz defeated the Mavericks 116-114 at the Delta Center. Utah improved to 13-24, while Dallas fell to 14-24.
In case you missed it, Dallas achieved a late-night win, 100-98, over the Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center on Tuesday. Cooper Flagg led the Mavs with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal. Anthony Davis followed with 19 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Brandon Williams added 18 points and 2 steals.
Williams received Winning Play of the Game honors, thanks to the three-pointer late in the fourth quarter. Williams recorded 18 points, including the go-ahead three-pointer with 33.9 seconds left. He’s averaging 19.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game over his last five games.
Flagg had a team-high 20 points, to go with 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Tuesday marked Flagg’s eighth career 20-point, 5-rebound, and 5-assist game, tying Carmelo Anthony for the fourth-most 20-5-5 games by a teenager in NBA history.
Utah Jazz vs. Dallas Mavericks Starters
Utah’s starting lineup featured Keyonte George, Bruce Sensabaugh, Cody Williams, Lauri Markkanen, and Kevin Love. Utah ruled out Walker Kessler (shoulder), Georges Niang (foot), Ace Bailey (hip), and Jusuf Nurkic (toe).
Dallas’ starting lineup featured Max Christie, Naji Marshall, Flagg, Anthony Davis, and Daniel Gafford. Dallas ruled out Dante Exum (knee), Kyrie Irving (knee), Dereck Lively II (foot), and PJ Washington (ankle).
Jazz vs. Mavericks Recap
Both teams’ records appear poor on paper, but they often play close games. Previously, Utah defeated Dallas 140-133 in an overtime thriller on Dec. 15, 2025. George led the Jazz with 37 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists. Flagg led the Mavs with 42 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Klay Thompson played in his 900th career game, and Davis made his 800th career start. Dallas took an 8-3 lead to start the first quarter. Utah picked up the pace to take a 16-15 lead, but Dallas’ scoring didn’t slow down. Dallas’ biggest downside could have pointed to Williams, who suffered an illness and didn’t return. Utah took a 34-29 lead to end the first.
Both teams suffered a slow start to the second quarter but rebounded. Utah built a 10-point lead over Dallas early on. Cody Williams’ first start of the season remained steady, with his dunks. Markkanen picked up where he left off, thanks to his being an efficient source of offense. Dallas picked up the pace but fell short. Utah took a 58-55 lead into halftime.
Both teams contributed to a high-scoring third quarter. Flagg converted on a pull-up jumper to record 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Flagg threw down a transition dunk off a lob from Ryan Nembhard. Brice Sensabaugh finished at the rim in transition. Dallas took a 98-88 lead after three quarters.
The Jazz took control early in the fourth quarter, but the Mavs picked up the pace for a 107-100 lead. Thompson, Davis, and Christie continued to shine with highlight-reel-worthy plays, such as Christie’s clutch three-pointers. Utah fended off Dallas’ late efforts to win 116-114 in regulation.
Next Steps
Dallas concludes its two-game road trip against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. Central. Saturday’s matchup may be full of injuries, but keep an eye on Chicago’s ability to capitalize on Dallas’ weaknesses, such as an inconsistent defense, depth, and rebounding.
Utah concludes a two-game homestand against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Mountain. Saturday’s matchup appears to be weak, but keep an eye out for Utah’s strong performances and Charlotte’s three-point prowess.
