Dallas Mavericks Defeat Utah Jazz In Preseason Tilt

The Dallas Mavericks played their third preseason game against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City on Monday night. Dallas defeated the Jazz 114-101 at the Delta Center. Dallas improved to 2-1, while Utah fell to 0-3.

Dallas Mavericks-Utah Jazz Starters

The Dallas Mavericks-Utah Jazz game was exciting. The Mavericks’ fans likely looked to see if the team’s shooting improved. The Jazz’s fans probably hoped for Ace Bailey and Walter Clayton Jr. to combine for 40 points again.

The Mavericks’ starting lineup featured Cooper Flagg, Klay Thompson, PJ Washington Jr., Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II. Dallas ruled out Dalono Balano and D’Angelo Russell with rest, Brandon Williams with a hamstring strain, Caleb Martin with a right hip strain, Daniel Gafford with a sprained ankle, Dante Exum with right knee soreness, and Kyrie Irving with a torn ACL.

The Jazz’s starting lineup featured Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Taylor Hendricks, and Jusuf Nurkic. The Jazz ruled out Walker Kessler with left shoulder bursitis, Kyle Anderson with right knee tendinopathy, Isaiah Collier with a right hamstring strain, Cameron McGriff for not being with the team, and Georges Niang with a fourth metatarsal stress reaction.

Mavericks-Jazz Recap

The Dallas Mavericks-Utah Jazz game provided excitement for the fans. The Mavericks jumped out to a 4-0 lead before the Jazz got on the board in the first quarter. Thompson dominated at the rim, while Bailey dunked his first bucket in the Delta Center. Dallas held on for a 30-27 at the end of the first.

The Jazz had a slight edge in the second quarter. George threw down a 2-point bucket, while Bailey hit a catch-and-shoot triple. Dallas picked up the pace to take a 61-53 lead into halftime. Dallas opened the third quarter with a 4-0 run before the Jazz responded with a 3-pointer. The Jazz maintained momentum, but Dallas led 87-72 after three quarters. The Jazz applied pressure in the fourth quarter, but the Mavericks stayed the course. They defeated the Jazz 114-101 in regulation.

Final Thoughts

The Dallas Mavericks continue to struggle with injuries. Kyrie Irving is still dealing with a torn ACL in his left knee, and Exum is dealing with right knee soreness. There’s a chance that both Irving, 33, and Exum, 30, will be out for a while.

The expectations for the Utah Jazz entering the 2025-26 NBA season are extremely low. According to ESPN BET, Utah’s win-total line for the season ahead has been set at 18.5 — the lowest projected win-total in the NBA, and just 1.5 games higher than what the Jazz posted last season during their franchise-low total wins on the year.