12-26-2021, 01:53 AM
RANDOM MAVS LINEUPS STAY IN THE GAME AGAINST UTAH
The Mavericks have traveled to Salt Lake City, hoping to upset one of the West’s best teams with a makeshift crew. The Mavs count Luka, THJ, Bullock, Maxi, McLaughlin, and Burke out with COVID, DFS with non-COVID-related illness, and Willie for personal reasons. Eugene Omoruyi has been declared likely out for the season after foot surgery. Josh Green has exited COVID protocols, but is not with the team. KP returns from his sore toe absence. Ten-day hardship contracts include Marquese Chriss, Theo Pinson, Carlik Jones, Charlie Brown, George King, and Brandon Knight.
With only 7 of the “regular” Mavs available on this beautiful Christmas night, we’ll probably just hit the highlights here, unless something unexpected develops.
The Mavs held the lead for substantial stretches of the game, and were in it until the last few minutes. Ultimately, we saw a familiar fourth-quarter story, where the opponent secured a win with better closing skills.
GAME NOTES
Starting Lineup Brunson, Ntlikina, Sterling, KP, Powell
FIRST QUARTER
35-24 after one
Mavs get off to a hot start, leading by as many as 16 points. KP and Conley each leads his team with 9. Mavs are 9-9 from the line, and have earned 9 points off 7 Jazz turnovers.
SECOND QUARTER
Utah quickly gets back into the game, but the Mavs hang in. The second quarter scoring line is 29-40, with Mitchell stunning Dallas with a 16-point frame.
63-65 HT
Mavs still very much in it at this point. Brunson, KP, and Frankie combine for 34 points. Sterling, Brunson, and Bogdanovic each has 3 fouls. JB and KP have drawn 11 FTA combined. Mavs have put 11 players on the court.
THIRD QUARTER
90-90 after three
Mavs held a lead for much of the period, but Utah ended the quarter with a 15-6 rally. KP had a 12-point frame. It’s all square heading into the fourth.
FOURTH QUARTER
94-99 8:57
Both teams take turns going to the free throw line, Jazz hit a three, and the Mavs are bit by the turnover bug. Chriss called for his fifth.
94-102 6:56
Neither team looking great, but Jazz manage another three points.
CLUTCH
102-107 4:55
FN makes 3 free throws on clear path foul call. A Dallas three follows. Gobert then hits a couple at the line. Brunson to the cup! Mavs have quickly closed a ten-point deficit.
107-109 4:13
Conley hits a runner off the glass. Brunson misses a three, then fouls Mike Conley, who hits one of two free throws.
KP falls down and loses the ball, Mavs get it back, Brunson misses a shot, a dust-up ensues. Foul on O’Neal, Mavs have it back but can’t capitalize. On the other end, Bogdanovic hits from range.
Kris fouled, hits both free throws for his first points of the quarter. Mitchell gets a second-chance and-one.
Knight responds with a three. Jazz turn the ball over, as Gobert is called for an offensive foul.
112-118 1:00
KP over Gobert. Bodanovich misse a long one.
JB misses a transition three, fouls Bogdanovich on the rebound, Bogdanovich hits both freebies.
Frankie hits a two, but the play (which included several miss/OR sequences) took most of the rest of the time available.
116-120 FT
OBSERVATIONS
Closer than I expected from the makeshift Mavs against a Jazz team that was close to full strength, although I suspect that the Jazz were never in as much danger as the final score might suggest. Porzingis co-led Dallas with 27 points and 9 boards, drew 13 FTAs and hit 11. Brunson also put up 27 points and added 6 assists. Frankie was the third starter in double digits with 17, and Knight contributed 10 points off the bench. All the available Mavs played except Boban and Carlik.
Even disregarding the unfortunate absence of much of the Mavs’ regular roster, this was not exactly a beautiful game. It was a ref-happy affair, with both teams combining for 55 personal fouls and a crazy 72 FTAs, which made for a very chopped up, laborious contest. The second quarter stretched from 12 game minutes to 40 actual minutes.
I’m not going to level any criticisms on the players or coaches, as I’m not sure we could reasonably expect much from this motley crew, and they arguably exceeded expectations (which is sadly not saying much). I guess they’re just going to have to get through this absence-riddled stretch, one way or another.
NEXT. The Mavs are scheduled to face Portland on Monday in the second game of a five-day road trip.
I hope everyone had a good Christmas.
The Mavericks have traveled to Salt Lake City, hoping to upset one of the West’s best teams with a makeshift crew. The Mavs count Luka, THJ, Bullock, Maxi, McLaughlin, and Burke out with COVID, DFS with non-COVID-related illness, and Willie for personal reasons. Eugene Omoruyi has been declared likely out for the season after foot surgery. Josh Green has exited COVID protocols, but is not with the team. KP returns from his sore toe absence. Ten-day hardship contracts include Marquese Chriss, Theo Pinson, Carlik Jones, Charlie Brown, George King, and Brandon Knight.
With only 7 of the “regular” Mavs available on this beautiful Christmas night, we’ll probably just hit the highlights here, unless something unexpected develops.
The Mavs held the lead for substantial stretches of the game, and were in it until the last few minutes. Ultimately, we saw a familiar fourth-quarter story, where the opponent secured a win with better closing skills.
GAME NOTES
Starting Lineup Brunson, Ntlikina, Sterling, KP, Powell
FIRST QUARTER
35-24 after one
Mavs get off to a hot start, leading by as many as 16 points. KP and Conley each leads his team with 9. Mavs are 9-9 from the line, and have earned 9 points off 7 Jazz turnovers.
SECOND QUARTER
Utah quickly gets back into the game, but the Mavs hang in. The second quarter scoring line is 29-40, with Mitchell stunning Dallas with a 16-point frame.
63-65 HT
Mavs still very much in it at this point. Brunson, KP, and Frankie combine for 34 points. Sterling, Brunson, and Bogdanovic each has 3 fouls. JB and KP have drawn 11 FTA combined. Mavs have put 11 players on the court.
THIRD QUARTER
90-90 after three
Mavs held a lead for much of the period, but Utah ended the quarter with a 15-6 rally. KP had a 12-point frame. It’s all square heading into the fourth.
FOURTH QUARTER
94-99 8:57
Both teams take turns going to the free throw line, Jazz hit a three, and the Mavs are bit by the turnover bug. Chriss called for his fifth.
94-102 6:56
Neither team looking great, but Jazz manage another three points.
CLUTCH
102-107 4:55
FN makes 3 free throws on clear path foul call. A Dallas three follows. Gobert then hits a couple at the line. Brunson to the cup! Mavs have quickly closed a ten-point deficit.
107-109 4:13
Conley hits a runner off the glass. Brunson misses a three, then fouls Mike Conley, who hits one of two free throws.
KP falls down and loses the ball, Mavs get it back, Brunson misses a shot, a dust-up ensues. Foul on O’Neal, Mavs have it back but can’t capitalize. On the other end, Bogdanovic hits from range.
Kris fouled, hits both free throws for his first points of the quarter. Mitchell gets a second-chance and-one.
Knight responds with a three. Jazz turn the ball over, as Gobert is called for an offensive foul.
112-118 1:00
KP over Gobert. Bodanovich misse a long one.
JB misses a transition three, fouls Bogdanovich on the rebound, Bogdanovich hits both freebies.
Frankie hits a two, but the play (which included several miss/OR sequences) took most of the rest of the time available.
116-120 FT
OBSERVATIONS
Closer than I expected from the makeshift Mavs against a Jazz team that was close to full strength, although I suspect that the Jazz were never in as much danger as the final score might suggest. Porzingis co-led Dallas with 27 points and 9 boards, drew 13 FTAs and hit 11. Brunson also put up 27 points and added 6 assists. Frankie was the third starter in double digits with 17, and Knight contributed 10 points off the bench. All the available Mavs played except Boban and Carlik.
Even disregarding the unfortunate absence of much of the Mavs’ regular roster, this was not exactly a beautiful game. It was a ref-happy affair, with both teams combining for 55 personal fouls and a crazy 72 FTAs, which made for a very chopped up, laborious contest. The second quarter stretched from 12 game minutes to 40 actual minutes.
I’m not going to level any criticisms on the players or coaches, as I’m not sure we could reasonably expect much from this motley crew, and they arguably exceeded expectations (which is sadly not saying much). I guess they’re just going to have to get through this absence-riddled stretch, one way or another.
NEXT. The Mavs are scheduled to face Portland on Monday in the second game of a five-day road trip.
I hope everyone had a good Christmas.
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