• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Without Williams, Jazz fall to red-hot Mavs

Feb 24, 2011 - 5:01 AM Dallas, TX (Sports Network) - Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 points and pulled down seven rebounds, as the red-hot Dallas Mavericks handled the Utah Jazz, 118-99.

Peja Stojakovic made four three-pointers en route to 18 points for the Mavericks, who have won four in a row and 14 of 15 overall. Shawn Marion chipped in 16 points and six boards.

"This is a very unselfish team and not only that, you are playing with guys who really know how to play basketball," Stojakovic said. "Sometimes you don't even have to call a play on the offensive end, you just put the ball in Jason's hands and with ball movement and player movement you get all the good shots."

Al Jefferson finished with 30 points and eight rebounds for the Jazz, who have lost five straight and are suddenly without point guard Deron Williams. Earlier Wednesday, the Jazz traded Williams to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for rookie forward Derrick Favors, guard Devin Harris and two first-round draft picks.

Williams, who was in his sixth season with the Jazz, averaged a team-high 21.3 points and 9.7 assists in 53 games for Utah this season.

Paul Millsap and Andrei Kirilenko donated 18 and 17 points, respectively, for Utah.

"That's Deron Williams. You're going to miss a lot," Millsap said. "That's 20 points, 10 assists that you are going to miss. But we've got guys that are coming in that will help us out in that area. We're just trying to get back on the right path right now."

The Jazz led by as many as six in the first quarter and held a 26-23 edge after 12 minutes.

Dallas outscored Utah, 36-29, in the second period to take a 59-55 margin into the locker room.

Holding a 71-67 lead midway through the third, the Mavericks got back-to-back three-pointers from Rodrigue Beaubois and Stojakovic to build a 10-point cushion.

Dallas pushed its margin to 13 and led 88-77 heading to the fourth.

The Mavericks started the fourth on a 9-2 flurry to put the game away. Jose Barea's layup made it a 97-79 contest with under 10 minutes to play.

Game Notes

Dallas leads the season series with Utah, 3-0...Kirilenko returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with an ankle injury...The Jazz were without guard Ronnie Price (toe)...Utah has dropped all four of its games under new head coach Ty Corbin...Jason Terry and Barea each had 13 points off the bench for the Mavericks, who shot 57.9 percent from the field...Earl Watson started at Williams' point guard spot and tallied seven points and five assists.