You’re probably hitting refresh on your phone or asking your smart speaker every five minutes because the NBA schedule is a mess this week. Honestly, keeping track of the Mavs lately has been a full-time job. If you are looking for what's the score of the Mavericks game, the search is over.
Dallas just wrapped up their latest matchup against the Utah Jazz on Saturday night, January 17, and it wasn't even close. The Mavericks walked away with a massive 138-120 victory.
It was a statement game. They basically blew the doors off the American Airlines Center. Even without their biggest stars on the floor, the "others" stepped up in a way that should make Jason Kidd sleep a lot better tonight.
Breaking Down the 138-120 Win
The game was a wild ride from the jump. Dallas came out swinging, dropping 42 points in the first quarter alone. Utah tried to claw back in the second, but they never really recovered from that initial punch to the gut. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the Mavs were just coasting.
Here is how the scoring shook out by quarter:
Dallas put up 42, 29, 35, and 32.
Utah managed 29, 30, 35, and 26.
The consistency was the most impressive part. Usually, when this team is missing the big names, they have these massive scoring droughts where they can't throw a pebble into the ocean. Not tonight. They shot 53.8% from the field and a blistering 43.9% from deep. When you hit 18 threes in a game, you're usually going to have a good time.
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Klay Thompson Makes History
The biggest story of the night—besides the win—was Klay Thompson. He didn't just play; he reminded everyone why he's a future Hall of Famer. Klay finished with 23 points, and get this: he scored all of them in the first half.
During that heater, he hit a turnaround jumper in the lane that officially put him past the 17,000-point career milestone.
It’s kinda crazy to think about. 17,000 points. He joined an elite club while wearing a Mavs jersey, and he did it with the efficiency we’ve come to expect. He went 7 for 12 from the floor and 6 for 11 from behind the arc. He didn't even play the second half much, but the damage was done.
Who Played and Who Didn't?
If you looked at the injury report before tip-off, you probably thought Dallas was in trouble. The list was long.
The Mavs were missing:
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- Cooper Flagg: The rookie sensation is dealing with a left ankle sprain. This was his second straight game on the sidelines.
- Anthony Davis: Sidelined with a finger issue.
- Kyrie Irving: Nursing a knee injury.
- P.J. Washington: Out for personal reasons.
Usually, losing that much production is a death sentence. But Brandon Williams and Max Christie had other plans. Both of them dropped 22 points. Naji Marshall was a menace everywhere, adding 16 points and 6 assists. Even Dwight Powell got in on the action with 10 points and 8 boards.
Utah wasn't exactly healthy either. Lauri Markkanen missed his third straight game with an illness, and Walker Kessler was out with a shoulder injury. Keyonte George did his best to carry the load for the Jazz with 29 points, but he didn't have enough help to keep pace with the Dallas onslaught.
What's Next for the Dallas Mavericks?
Winning this game was huge for the Mavs' momentum. They’ve had a rocky stretch lately, entering the game with only two wins in their last five. Completing the two-game sweep of Utah helps stabilize the ship as they look toward a brutal road trip.
What's the score of the Mavericks game isn't just about tonight; it’s about where they go from here. They don't have much time to celebrate.
The schedule makers weren't kind. The team has to pack their bags and head to the East Coast immediately. Their next game is a high-stakes showdown at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. That game tips off Monday, January 19, at 5:00 PM EST.
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The Knicks are currently sitting near the top of the Eastern Conference, and the Garden is never an easy place to play. Dallas is going to need some of those injured stars back if they want to hang with New York's physicality.
Actionable Steps for Mavs Fans
If you're following the team through this mid-January grind, here is what you should be doing:
- Check the Monday Injury Report: Monitor the status of Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving specifically. The Mavs need their primary creators back to handle the Knicks' perimeter defense.
- Watch the Bench Rotation: Keep an eye on Brandon Williams. If he continues to play like this, he might force his way into more permanent minutes even when the starters return.
- Set Your Alarms: Monday's game is an early one (5:00 PM EST). Don't get caught working late and miss the first half.
- Look at the Standings: Dallas is fighting to stay out of the Play-In tournament. Every win against a sub-.500 team like Utah is mandatory, but these games against the Knicks and upcoming Lakers matchups are the ones that actually move the needle in the Western Conference.
The Mavs showed a lot of heart tonight. They’re 17-26 now, which isn't where they wanted to be mid-season, but performances like this prove the depth is better than most critics give them credit for.
Keep an eye on the official NBA box scores as Monday approaches. The transition from a 138-point explosion to the defensive grind of a Tom Thibodeau-led Knicks team is going to be the ultimate test of whether this win was a fluke or a turning point.