Mavs Look to Halt Skid, Gear Up for Jazz Rematch
The Dallas Mavericks are heading into their November 14 matchup against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center hoping to break an unusual pattern. Dallas has dropped three consecutive games, each by progressively narrow margins: a one-point loss to the Phoenix Suns, followed by a two-point defeat by the Denver Nuggets, and most recently a three-point fall to the Golden State Warriors. The Mavericks, sitting on a three-game skid, aim to avoid adding a four-point loss to this streak and bring an end to their close-game struggles.
USA Today
In their previous encounter on October 28, Dallas bested Utah 110-102 at American Airlines Center, a win highlighted by impressive bench production. With a full rotation that night, the Mavericks’ bench contributed 32 points. However, recent injuries have hampered this output. Forward P.J. Washington’s absence and a delayed return from Dereck Lively have limited options off the bench, reducing Dallas’s recent secondary scoring punch. Lively returned in the loss to Golden State, where he scored 12 of the bench’s total 22 points while six other Mavericks reserves were left unused by head coach Jason Kidd.
The Mavericks’ core trio shouldered heavy minutes against the Warriors, with Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson each logging substantial playing time. Doncic led the charge with 31 points in 41 minutes, Irving added 21 in 36 minutes, and Thompson contributed 22 points in 34 minutes in his return to Chase Center. Forward Daniel Gafford added another 15 points in 24 minutes, splitting court time with Lively to bolster interior scoring. Naji Marshall, filling in for Washington, managed only six points in his 22 minutes on the floor, struggling to maintain the intensity needed to support the Mavs’ stars.
As the Mavericks look to reverse course in Utah, much attention will be on the bench’s performance. Kidd’s squad will aim to replicate the depth of their October victory against the Jazz, hoping bench production can lighten the load on their top players. Dallas is also looking forward to Washington’s potential return, which would provide a lift to a roster currently stretched thin.
