The Dallas Mavericks delivered a statement win on Thursday night, routing the Utah Jazz 144-122 at the American Airlines Center and putting on a dazzling offensive display despite a roster battered by injuries. Both teams entered the contest languishing near the bottom of the Western Conference standings and missing key contributors, but it was the Mavericks—energized by a vintage Klay Thompson performance—who seized control early and never looked back.
With rookie sensation Cooper Flagg sidelined by a sprained ankle, Dallas needed someone to step up. Enter Thompson, the veteran sharpshooter, who poured in a season-best 26 points and drilled six three-pointers. In doing so, Thompson moved into fourth place on the NBA’s all-time three-point list, surpassing Damian Lillard with his 2,809th triple. Only Stephen Curry, James Harden, and Ray Allen now stand ahead of him on that illustrious leaderboard. Thompson’s hot hand was complemented by a balanced Mavericks attack, with Naji Marshall adding 22 points and Jaden Hardy chipping in 19.
“Klay was just in a zone tonight,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said after the game. “He’s been working hard, and when he gets rolling like that, it lifts everyone. The ball was moving, shots were falling, and our guys fed off that energy.”
The Mavericks, who improved to 16-26 with the victory, were coming off a tough loss to the Denver Nuggets the previous night. With a lengthy injury list that included Anthony Davis (finger), Dante Exum (knee), Dereck Lively II (foot), and Kyrie Irving (knee), and with Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington both questionable, Dallas was forced to dig deep into its bench. Cooper Flagg, who had tweaked his ankle against Denver, was officially ruled out before tipoff, leaving the Mavericks without one of their brightest young stars.
Utah was dealing with its own share of adversity. Lauri Markkanen, the Jazz’s leading scorer at 27.9 points per game and ranked 11th in the league, missed his second straight game due to illness. Walker Kessler (shoulder) and Georges Niang (foot) also remained out, further depleting a team already struggling on the defensive end. Entering the night, Utah had allowed an NBA-worst 127 points per game and the most three-pointers per contest (15.6)—numbers that would only worsen after Thursday’s blowout.
Despite the absences, the Jazz showed flashes of promise, particularly from their younger players. Brice Sensabaugh, coming off a career night, led Utah with 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including three triples. Six other Jazz players scored in double figures, and Cody Williams impressed with 13 points and six rebounds, earning praise for his poise and all-around game. “Starting to see a lot of ‘that’s a legit NBA player’ moments from Cody Williams,” tweeted Ben Anderson of KSL Sports during the first quarter.
The game began with Utah jumping out to a slim early lead, but Dallas quickly responded. The Mavericks closed the first quarter on a 20-8 run, seizing a 35-24 advantage. By halftime, the margin had ballooned to 70-50, thanks in large part to Dallas’s red-hot shooting from beyond the arc. The Mavericks finished the night 19-of-47 from three-point range (40.4%), while Utah struggled at 10-of-36 (27.8%).
“The difference in the loss came from behind the arc,” observed KSL Sports, noting the Jazz’s inability to match Dallas’s perimeter firepower. The Mavericks’ 19 made threes were a season high, and their 144 points also set a new team mark for the year.
Utah’s Keyonte George, a third-year guard and All-Star hopeful, was held to 17 points and three assists. He had entered the game averaging 23.8 points, 6.9 assists, and 4.2 rebounds, but found the going tough against a Mavericks defense that, despite missing several anchors, played with energy and discipline. Ace Bailey added 15 points and five rebounds for the Jazz, while Isaiah Collier contributed a double-double with 10 points and 11 assists.
For Dallas, the supporting cast stepped up in Flagg’s absence. Naji Marshall was aggressive, scoring 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting and grabbing six boards. Jaden Hardy provided a spark with his 19 points, including four made threes, while Brandon Williams added 18 off the bench. Moussa Cisse made his presence felt in the paint, tallying a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
“The Mavs had season highs in points and three-pointers against the team that allows the most points and threes in the NBA,” reported the Associated Press. The Jazz, meanwhile, continue their road woes, dropping their eighth game in the last ten and falling to 14-27 on the season.
Utah’s head coach Will Hardy opted to stick with a young starting lineup, hoping to inject some energy into a team playing the second night of a back-to-back. The Jazz, who had beaten Dallas earlier in the season, found themselves outmatched on this occasion, particularly as the game wore on. Through three quarters, Dallas led 112-79, and the result was never in doubt during the final frame.
Looking ahead, both teams will have little time to rest. They’re set to meet again on Saturday in Dallas to close out the season series, which Utah currently leads 2-1. For the Mavericks, the hope is that Cooper Flagg and other injured players can return soon, while the Jazz will be eager to get Markkanen back on the court as they continue their five-game road trip.
Thursday’s contest was a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the NBA, especially for teams battling injuries and searching for consistency. For one night, though, it was Klay Thompson and the Mavericks who stole the show, lighting up the scoreboard and giving their fans a reason to believe that better days might be ahead.
