Western Conference bottom-feeders collide on Thursday night, as the Utah Jazz host the Dallas Mavericks at the Delta Center.
The Mavericks (14–23, 11th West) recently snapped a four-game skid with two straight wins, capped by a Tuesday triumph over the Kings in Sacramento. The Jazz (12–24, 13th West) have lost five straight and enter on the second night of a back-to-back, most recently suffering an overtime loss to the Thunder in Oklahoma City.
The squads first met on Dec. 15 in Salt Lake City, where the Jazz secured a 140–133 victory in overtime.
Here’s a look at the Injury Report:
Dallas Mavericks
- OUT: Dante Exum (Knee), Dereck Lively II (Foot), Kyrie Irving (Knee)
- QUESTIONABLE: Brandon Williams (Heel)
- DOUBTFUL: P.J. Washington (Ankle)
Utah Jazz
- OUT: Georges Niang (Foot), Walker Kessler (Shoulder
- QUESTIONABLE: Jusuf Nurkic (Foot)
Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET. Dallas enters as a 6.5-point road favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Utah is listed as a +190 underdog. The game’s total is set at 241.5 points.
Mavericks vs. Jazz Preview
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Anthony Davis era in Dallas could come to an end before February’s trade deadline, but there’s no denying that the Mavericks have been significantly better with him on the floor this season. While they still own one of the NBA’s worst offenses, the Mavs are 10–9 with Davis on the floor — compared to just 4–14 without him.
The 10-time All-Star leads the team with 20.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, while also anchoring the squad on the defensive end. He’s flanked by fellow former first overall pick Cooper Flagg, who’s contributing 18.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists a night.
Last time in Utah, the Rookie of the Year frontrunner erupted for a career-high 42 points in Davis’ absence and singlehandedly forced an extra period. On Thursday night, Flagg will seek revenge with one of the modern era’s most dominant big men by his side.
Utah Jazz Preview
Utah recently stole back-to-back wins against the Pistons and Spurs, two of the NBA’s most formidable contenders. However, any of that momentum was stifled following five straight losses, punctuated by Wednesday night’s loss in Oklahoma City. Bonus points for taking the defending champs to OT, though!
The Jazz return home on the second night of a back-to-back, with both of their All-Star candidates — Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George — each logging 43-plus minutes against the Thunder. Already sporting the league’s worst defensive rating, exhaustion should further weaken Utah’s nonexistent coverage.
And now they have to worry about Flagg and AD.
Mavericks vs. Jazz Pick, Best Bet
While the Mavericks’ current roster is far from a title contender — and will likely get blown up at the deadline — it’s strong enough to conquer one of the league’s weakest squads. Count on Flagg and Davis to carve up the Jazz on both ends of the floor and comfortably cover the 6.5-point spread on Thursday night.
