DALLAS (ABC4 Sports) – Luka Doncic scored 31 points as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Utah Jazz 111-103, snapping Utah’s nine-game winning streak.
Mike Conley scored 28 points, his second highest point total of the season, but the Mavericks beat the Jazz at their own game — from 3-point land.
The Mavericks were 23 for 49 from behind the arc (46.9%). The Jazz, who were leading the NBA averaging 17.1 three-pointers per game and ranked second hitting 39.8% from long range, went 12 for 44 (27.3%). They were 9 for 23 in the first half.
“For us to lose that game only by eight, that says a lot about us,” said Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, who scored 16 points on six of 23 from the field. “The biggest thing is not to overreact.”
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle was pleased to hold the NBA’s No. 3 scoring team, averaging 117.2 points going in, to its lowest point total since February 7th.
“To hold these guys to 103 is a hell of a job,” Carlisle said. “The difference was we just came out and we were much more physical than we were last time we played them.”
Bojan Bogdanovic, and Jordan Clarkson each scored 16 points, while Rudy Gobert added 14 points and 15 rebounds.
Dorian Finney-Smith scored a season-high 23 and Jalen Brunson scored 20 off the bench as Dallas beat Utah for the first time in three tries.
“They’re great challenges, they’re great lessons for us because when we get to where we are trying to get in the playoffs playing these teams that are going to play physical and change up their coverages defensively,” Conley said. “And have nights where we shoot like we did tonight we have to find ways to win anyways.”
The Jazz’s next two games don’t get any easier. They play the Suns in Phoenix April 7th, and then host Portland at Vivint Arena the next day, April 8th.
