The Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks have just over ten games left in the regular season, but their circumstances couldn’t be more different.
With three key players traded in mid-February, the Jazz (29–42) are looking to turn things around heading into their game in Salt Lake City on Monday.
The Mavericks (41-29) and the Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings are in a fierce competition for postseason ten timplace. They are tied for seventh and eighth place in the play-in tournament with the Kings (41-29).
The Suns (42-29) and the last assured postseason position are half a game ahead of those teams.
Dallas hasn’t played since Thursday, when they defeated Utah 113-97 at home.
With 34 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, Luka Doncic led the Mavs. Against the Jazz, Daniel Gafford scored 24 points, dunkses, and only missed one field goal attempt. His field goal percentage of 71.4 percent is an NBA record.
Jason Kidd, the coach of Dallas, stated, “He has great hands.” “His ability to finish in traffic is something we haven’t had.”
The Mavs’ 33 assists in the victory also made Kidd happy. They won 147-97 in Dallas on December 6th against Utah, recording a season-high 37 assists.
Kidd remarked, “It’s really fun to watch and be a part of guys being so selfless.”
Dallas’ five-game road trip begins on Monday with games against Utah, Sacramento (twice), Golden State, and Houston. The Mavericks play three games at home before concluding the season with three games away from home.
The Jazz are currently in a free decline they haven’t encountered since dropping 16 of 18 games close to the conclusion of their 25-win 2013–14 campaign.
Since defeating Oklahoma City to even the score at 26-26 on February 6, Utah has dropped 13 games below.500 and lost five out of the last seven games.
The Jazz let up 85 points in the first half of the Rockets’ disastrous 147-119 victory in Houston on Saturday, allowing them to make an NBA season-high 27 3-pointers.
It’s difficult to recover when you’re down thirty points at halftime, according to Jazz coach Will Hardy. “But you have to find that element within you, the pride.”
Three rookies and several two-way players make up Utah’s roster, and the team is allowing players like Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson plenty of time to recover from injuries. The outcome hasn’t been very pleasing.
Hardy stated, “I want our team to always be competing for our team and keeping the Utah Jazz in mind.” “However, you should also embrace your selfish side and declare, ‘I’m going to give it my all every night to portray myself in the best possible light because I want to play in this league, I want to earn money, and I’m trying to support my family.'”
It is up to you where you get inspiration, but it matters whenever you step onto the NBA court.”
It’s unclear if Kris Dunn of Utah and Jabari Smith Jr. of Houston will face consequences following their altercation on Saturday. Collin Sexton may potentially face consequences because he briefly stepped off the Jazz bench during the confrontation.