Basketball and hockey fans in North Texas are feeling a very specific type of Tuesday-night hangover. Honestly, it's rough. If you’re looking for the Dallas game today score, we have a double-header of frustration. The Dallas Mavericks hosted the Denver Nuggets at the American Airlines Center last night, and let’s just say the "home-court advantage" felt more like a suggestion than a reality. Dallas fell to Denver 118-109.
Meanwhile, on the ice, the Dallas Stars continued their weird, frustrating slide. They dropped a 3-1 game to the Anaheim Ducks. That’s eight losses in their last ten games. If you’re a Stars fan, you’re probably wondering where the offense went. If you’re a Mavs fan, you’re mostly just looking at the injury report and sighing.
Mavericks vs. Nuggets: The Score That Stings
The Mavericks came into last night hoping to build some momentum. Instead, they ran into a Jamal Murray buzzsaw. Murray was everywhere, dropping 33 points and basically toyed with the Dallas perimeter defense. The final score of 118-109 doesn't even tell the whole story of how disjointed the Mavs looked for long stretches of the second quarter.
At one point, Denver went on a 21-5 run. You can't do that against a championship-caliber team and expect to survive. Dallas actually made it interesting in the fourth, clawing back with a 22-4 run of their own to get within single digits, but the gas tank was empty by the five-minute mark.
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The Cooper Flagg Injury Concern
The biggest takeaway isn't even the score. It’s the health of the roster. Cooper Flagg, the rookie everyone is pinning their hopes on, exited the game with an ankle injury. He didn't return. While some reports suggest it was precautionary because he played out the rest of the third quarter before heading to the locker room, the sight of him limping is enough to make any MFFL (Mavs Fan For Life) sweat.
Dallas is already missing a massive chunk of their rotation:
- Anthony Davis: Out with a left finger sprain. (The team is 4-14 without him. Yikes.)
- Kyrie Irving: Still recovering from knee surgery.
- Dereck Lively II: Sidelined after foot surgery.
- P.J. Washington: Dealing with a nasty ankle sprain.
When Caleb Martin is your silver lining—he had 15 points and 3 assists last night—you know the depth is being tested to its absolute limit.
Stars Fall in Anaheim: A Scoring Drought
Over in the NHL, the Dallas Stars are in a legitimate funk. Losing 3-1 to an Anaheim Ducks team that had lost nine straight games is... not great. Casey DeSmith actually played out of his mind in goal, making several "how did he do that?" saves just to keep the Stars in it.
The Stars looked like a team playing the second half of a back-to-back. They had heavy legs. They were losing races to the puck. They were getting bullied in the neutral zone.
What’s Wrong With the Top Line?
There’s a massive debate raging in the Stars' locker room (and on Reddit, obviously) about the Robertson-Hintz-Rantanen line. Some fans think they're the best line in hockey. Others point to the fact that they only have a handful of goals in their last few hundred minutes together. Roope Hintz did manage to sneak a diving shot past Lukas Dostál late in the third to make it 2-1, but an empty-netter from Jacob Trouba sealed the deal.
The Stars have now lost 8 of their last 10. For a team that was 2nd in the Western Conference just a few weeks ago, the wheels aren't off yet, but the lug nuts are definitely loose.
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Looking Ahead: Dallas Game Today Score and Beyond
If you are checking the Dallas game today score for Thursday, January 15, 2026, here is the schedule:
- Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz: Tip-off is at 7:30 PM CT at the American Airlines Center.
- Dallas Stars at Utah Mammoth: Puck drop is at 8:00 PM CT at the Delta Center.
Yes, both Dallas teams are playing Utah teams tonight. It’s a weird coincidence. The Mavs are facing a Jazz team led by Lauri Markkanen, who is averaging nearly 28 points a game. Without Anthony Davis to protect the rim, Markkanen could have a field day.
The Stars are heading to Salt Lake City to face the Mammoth. This is a game they should win on paper, but after the Anaheim debacle, nothing is certain. Keep an eye on Jake Oettinger; he’s expected to be back in net tonight to try and stop the bleeding.
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Betting Odds and What to Expect
Oddsmakers are being cautious. The Mavs opened as slight underdogs because of the injury situation. If Flagg is out, that line will shift even further toward Utah. For the Stars, they remain favorites, but the "Under" is looking like a tempting bet given how much they’ve struggled to put the puck in the net lately.
Actionable Insights for Fans:
- Check the 12:00 PM Injury Report: The Mavericks are expected to give an official update on Cooper Flagg’s ankle around noon. This will dictate the entire vibe of the Jazz game.
- Watch the Stars' Power Play: They went 0-for-3 against Anaheim. If they can't convert on the man advantage tonight against Utah, expect another low-scoring loss.
- Monitor the Western Conference Standings: The Stars are slipping. They are currently 2nd in the Central, but the gap is closing fast. Every point matters in January.
The local broadcast for the Mavs will be on KFAA and streaming on Prime Video. For the Stars, tune into VIC+ or UT16 if you're catching the game from the couch. It’s a big night for Dallas sports to prove that yesterday was just a fluke and not the start of a mid-season collapse.