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Mavericks 103, Jazz 81
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
DALLAS — Mavericks guard Monta Ellis and All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki combined for 42 points, as Dallas cruised to an easy 103-81 win Friday night over the slumping Utah Jazz at American Airlines Center.
The Mavericks had four players score in double figures, led by Ellis’ 22 and 20 from Nowitzki in only 26 minutes. Dallas tied its largest margin of victory of the season and has won 21 of the last 24 meetings against the Jazz at American Airlines Center.
Jazz forward Marvin Williams scored a team-high 21, but didn’t have a point in the second half. Utah shot only 40.8 percent (31-76) and was outrebounded 48-37.
The Mavericks (30-21) have won four in a row heading into a three-game Eastern Conference road trip starting Sunday at Boston. Dallas is nine games over .500 for the first time since February 2012.
Utah (16-33) is going in the opposite direction, losing four straight going into Saturday’s home game against Miami. The Jazz are averaging only 84.4 points during their losing skid.
Williams terrorized the Mavericks in the first quarter, especially from deep. Williams did his best Nowitzki imitation by scoring Utah’s first eight points and 14 of the first 21 on 5-for-5 shooting, including four 3-pointers.
Williams finally missed a shot and took a seat on the Jazz bench. Perhaps not coincidently, the Mavericks reeled off a 12-0 run to take a 26-21 lead and finished the period up 28-23.
Dallas ripped off 11 straight points late in the second quarter to take its largest lead (52-37) of the game. The Mavericks went into the break leading 54-43 behind 13 points from Ellis and 12 from Nowitzki. Williams had 21 to top all scorers in the half.
Utah pulled within seven points in the third, but the Mavericks once again responded with a lead-building spurt. Dallas went into the final quarter comfortably on top 82-67.
NOTES: The Jazz game began a stretch of four games for Dallas before the All-Star break against three teams with losing records. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said before the game that despite his team’s “ups and downs,” this is the time to put the “pedal to the metal.” Dallas entered the game in eighth place in the West. … Utah F Derrick Favors returned to the starting lineup after missing two games with a hip injury. C Jeremy Evans was also back after being out two games with a bruised tailbone. … Dallas was leading the league in scoring over the previous 20 games. All-Star F Dirk Nowitzki was averaging 29.8 points and shooting 62 percent over his last five games going into Friday.
