The Dallas Mavericks bounced back with a home win over the Utah Jazz, 112-100. Cooper Flagg led an all-around team performance with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists to go along with three steals and a block. Lauri Markkanen scored 24 for the Jazz in defeat.
The Mavericks looked spry early, pushing the Jazz and jumping to an 8-3 lead. Flagg's activity in particular stood out; during one sequence, he saved the ball out of bounces on the Jazz side of the court, throwing it to Kyrie Irving, only to sprint the floor and put Irving's missed three through the basket on a tip in. The Jazz rallied back to tie the game at 15 just before the six minute mark, forcing a Dallas timeout. The offensive pace slowed way down the rest of the frame, with a Jazz hot shooting start cooling off some. Markkanen rained from downtown, taking eight threes and making four, but also picked up two fouls in his minutes. Dallas found themselves behind 28-26 after one quarter of play.
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The Dallas defense struggled in the second quarter; with the bench unit in action, the Mavericks gave up basket after basket and Utah built an eight point lead. Dribble penetration kills Dallas this season, with no player seemingly able to stay in front of their man for more than a dribble. Santi Aldama got his first minutes in a Dallas uniform and immediately scored on the offensive glass. The Mavericks slowly worked themselves back into the game. PJ Washington kept a scorching offensive start going through the second, hitting his fifth three-pointer of the half and scoring 22 to pace Dallas. The Jazz kept pace, and the game entered halftime tied, 57-57
Quarter three was outstanding for the Mavericks. Cooper Flagg found his rhythm early and never let up, and Morez Johnson Jr. showed his pedigree in a big way, playing stellar defense, rebounding, and helpingDallas take control of the game. It may well have been his best stretch as a professional. The offensive rebounding and second-chance points proved pivotal to Dallas, and they ended up taking an 89-76 lead into the final frame.
While the Jazz did attempt to mount a run in the fourth, at one point going on a 10-2 run, the Dallas Mavericks decided to close the door early. Dallas kept the pressure on, pushing after misses and makes and held off the Utah Jazz in a very satisfying performance.
Rebounding problems? What rebounding problems?
A couple of days after the Spurs made Dallas look like a youth basketball team on the glass, Dallas thumped the Jazz on the glass at both ends. Led by Morez Johnsons's hilarious 17 rebounds (10 on the offensive end), the Mavericks managed to control both ends of the floor without having a stellar shooting game. The Mavericks shot under 30% from three and under 45% from the floor and still bodied the Jazz badly in this contest.
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So now it's question worth asking: was or is Dallas a bad rebounding team or did Dallas simply have to play the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs a total of four times in their first seven games? I suspect the answer is somewhere in the middle, but it's nice to see that they CAN rebound the basketball.
PJ Washington, the stabilizing factor
Mr. Washington has taken much heat around these parts and will continue to be part of trade speculation moving forward, but I have to acknowledge just how good he's been. His 26 points, including six three-pointers, helped keep the Mavericks in the hunt during the first half when much of the team didn't have juice. I have been enormously impressed with his shot this season, along with his consistent effort. Washington was the quiet (or maybe not so quiet) X-factor in their run to the Finals, as he did a little bit of everything.
I have no idea what lies in the future for PJ, but watching him find some early success has felt good.
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There's a lot to build on
In his last two contests, Kyrie Irving has shot just 16 of 47, which, if you can do math, is not good. And yet, Dallas is a final basket and some meh reffing away from beating the San Antonio Spurs and as we know they just gave the Utah Jazz a beating. Not NEEDING Kyrie to be a Superman is a gift. He'll be just fine.
I lead with that preamble because this was not an easy win. This team has something. What that is, I don't rightly know at the moment, but I am curious to find out.
There are so many positives from this game. So many building points to go off of. The aforementioned Johnson, looking like a man who can control the paint at times. Walter Clayton Jr., a fearless addition to the back court. Zaccharie Risacher and the bundle of frenetic energy. And that's just the bench, and it doesn't consider the guys who couldn't play like Sergio De Larrea.
Not knowing what this team could be feels spectacular, because the arrow is pointed in the right direction. Enjoy it.
