Final
Mavericks visit shorthanded Jazz with playoff implications on the line
Feb 5, 2009 - 11:17 AM Dallas (28-19) at Utah (27-22) 10:30 p.m. ESTSALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) -- The final spot in the Western Conference playoffs may well come down to the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks, giving added weight to Thursday's showdown in Salt Lake City in what has already become a heated series.
The Jazz, beset by various injuries to five of their top six players over the course of the season, have struggled to find any consistency with a lineup perpetually in flux. The Mavericks, meanwhile, in their first year under new head coach Rick Carlisle, have been only a shell of the team that advanced to the NBA finals in 2006 and won a league-best 67 games the following campaign.
Now, with the two fighting it out for postseason positioning, the Jazz get a chance to gain a bit of ground when they host the Mavericks. Dallas currently sits in the seventh spot in the West, while Utah lurks two games behind in an eighth-place tie with the Phoenix Suns (26-21).
Recently memories in Utah haven't been particularly pleasant for Dallas All-Star Dirk Nowitzki, who was suspended for one game following each of his last two trips to the Beehive State. Last season, he clotheslined Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko and sent him to the hospital - much to the chagrin of a livid EnergySolutions Arena crowd. Then in his return trip on December 26, he hit Matt Harpring in the face on a rebound, earning himself another one-game punishment.
The biggest question for the Jazz, however, is not whether they have to watch out for Nowitzki's physicality, but whether Deron Williams will be available to provide a lift for a seriously depleted lineup. The fourth-year point guard missed Monday's meeting with the Charlotte Bobcats with a bruised right quadriceps but went through a full practice on Wednesday, according to The Salt Lake Tribune, and was encouraged by the decreased swelling in the area.
Without him, the Jazz managed to survive with a 105-86 triumph over Charlotte. That, of course, was not a likely playoff team. Dallas is a different story.
The Mavericks have won four straight, including Wednesday's 104-99 victory on the road over the Portland Trail Blazers. Josh Howard led the way with 23 points and Jason Terry added 20 off the bench.
- NBA
DALLAS 87
UTAH 115 FINAL
Feb 6 1:09 AM - NBA
DALLAS 66
UTAH 94 END, 3RD QTR
Feb 6 12:40 AM - NBA
DALLAS 47
UTAH 57 HALFTIME
Feb 5 11:48 PM - NBA
DALLAS 20
UTAH 24 END, 1ST QTR
Feb 5 11:17 PM
Related News
- Stats rundown: 3 stats to know from the Dallas Mavericks’ Christmas Day win over the Phoenix Suns, 128-114 Dec 26
- 3 thoughts on a tense 128-114 Christmas win for the Mavericks over the Phoenix Suns Dec 26
- Luka Hits 10,000 Points: How Doncic reached a career Milestone Dec 25
- Mavericks vs Suns Preview: the NBA Christmas Day nightcap of Dallas against Phoenix Dec 25
- Mavericks Odds: How to bet the Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns Dec 25
- Mavericks vs Suns Preview: 3 things to know as Mavericks get Christmas Day showdown against the Suns Dec 24
- NBA Power Rankings Watch: the Mavericks navigate the injury bug Dec 24
- Bask in Dante Exum’s glow up from NBA exile to Dallas Mavericks starter Dec 24
- AJ Lawson scores career-high 17 points against the Spurs Dec 24
- Quote board: Doncic, Mavs roll over Wemby-less Spurs Dec 24
- Stats Rundown: 3 numbers to know from the Mavericks blowout win against the Spurs Dec 24
- 3 thoughts from a Dallas Mavericks win over the San Antonio Spurs, 144-119 Dec 23