Mavericks-Jazz Preview

By BRETT HUSTON
Posted Apr 15 2012 10:27PM

After a close loss against a team they've been unable to beat this season, the Dallas Mavericks will try to bounce back against an opponent to which they seemingly can't lose.

If that's the case again Monday, the Utah Jazz can probably start making plans for the offseason.

The visiting Mavericks look for an eighth consecutive victory over the Jazz on Monday night, while Utah needs to get back on track in a hurry if it hopes to salvage any playoff hopes.

Dallas (34-27) had an excellent opportunity Sunday to avoid a season sweep against the Los Angeles Lakers - its potential first-round opponent - but couldn't take advantage of Kobe Bryant's absence. Dirk Nowitzki had 24 points and 14 rebounds but missed 19 of his season-high 28 shots in a 112-108 overtime loss at Staples Center

"I just have to make some shots," said Nowitzki, shooting 37.9 percent over his last five games. "I was more of a volume shooter, and that's not the way I want to play. I want to be an efficient scorer. I've got some work to do."

The Mavericks are 19-21 this season when Nowitzki attempts 15 or more field goals and 12-5 when he takes 14 or fewer.

He took way more than 15 the last time Dallas and Utah got together, but had one of his best games in recent memory. Nowitzki made 14 of 21 shots and finished with a season-high 40 points in less than 29 minutes of a 102-96 home win March 3.

Nowitzki has generally been a model of efficiency against the Jazz (31-30), shooting 61.1 percent while participating in six of the Mavs' seven straight wins in the series.

If Utah can't contain him Monday, it might find itself on the verge of elimination. The Jazz are in 10th in the Western Conference, one-half game behind ninth-place Phoenix and 1 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot.

Utah trails No. 8 seed Houston by two games in the loss column, but would own the tiebreaker should it finish with an identical record.

It would lose a head-to-head tiebreaker with Phoenix.

The Jazz won't have to worry about any sort of contingencies if they can't get some stops. After holding the Rockets to 35.6 percent shooting in a crucial road win Wednesday, Utah let New Orleans and Memphis shoot a combined 51.8 percent in losses to conclude their trip.

"We know it's going to take a lot of hard work at first, then it is going to take focus," Paul Millsap said after the Jazz blew a six-point fourth-quarter lead in Saturday's 103-98 loss to the Grizzlies. "We have to have focus, and we have to stick to what we do for 48 minutes. In the past, we haven't been doing that, and it's costing us right now."

Devin Harris had a team high-tying 20 points Saturday but he's done next to nothing against his former team since arriving in Utah. The point guard has averaged 6.0 points on 30.4 percent shooting against Dallas this season.

The Mavericks have shot 51.8 percent from the field during their win streak against Utah, making 64 3-pointers to just 27 - on 98 attempts - by the Jazz.

Jazz outlast Nowitzki, Mavericks 123-121 in 3OT

By LYNN DeBRUIN
Posted Apr 17 2012 2:23AM

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Al Jefferson hasn't been close to the playoffs since his rookie season.

Seven years later, the Utah Jazz big man is doing everything he can to make sure he's not on the outside looking in again.

Jefferson scored 28 points and tied a career-high with 26 rebounds to fuel Monday night's 123-121 triple-overtime victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

"Right now we just got to win every game, no excuse," said Jefferson, who had 10 points in the extra periods. "This is a big test for us. We just got to see where our heart is and I know everybody in the locker room wants to make the playoffs. So we are going to fight and we are going to fight `til the end. That's all we can do."

Dallas was coming off an overtime loss Sunday to the Los Angeles Lakers, and Monday's felt just as bad. It was the Mavs' first triple-OT game since Dec. 29, 1989, against Portland, which they also lost.

"It's a disappointing loss," said the Mavs' Rick Carlisle, coaching his 800th career game. "We have to get ready for the next one. There's not a lot of time to belly ache. It was a phenomenal game, the competition was great but we came up short."

Monday's win halted Utah's seven-game losing streak against the Mavericks, but more importantly kept the Jazz in the postseason race.

Utah began the day 10th in the Western Conference but pulled one-half game behind Phoenix and Houston for the eighth and final spot with four games remaining.

The Jazz (32-30) hold the tiebreaker with the Rockets but not with the Suns, who they face again next week.

The loss dropped defending champion Dallas to seventh in the West, one-half game behind Denver.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 40 points against Utah for the second straight time. His 3-pointer forced the second overtime, but he couldn't convert late in the third extra period.

The Jazz forced overtime on Paul Millsap's put-back dunk with 2.2 seconds remaining in regulation.

"The good thing about the overtimes is we knew they were going to kind of run out of gas," Jefferson said. "They are an older team, they played yesterday. So we knew the shots were going to start falling a little short. I am surprised they lasted as long as they did."

The Jazz led by as many as 11 points early, and were up 87-83 with 46 seconds left in regulation before Vince Carter hit back-to-back 3s, including the second with 8.5 seconds left in regulation.

On Utah's final possession in regulation, Gordon Hayward drove the lane but missed, only to have Millsap fly in for thunderous put-back dunk.

Nowitzki's long 3 to win it at the buzzer in regulation came up short.

Utah led by four in the first overtime, only to see Nowitzki force the second extra period with a 3 with 3.9 seconds left.

Jefferson hit a jumper in the third overtime then blocked Ian Mahinmi's shot, setting up Millsap for a fast-break score and 115-113 lead.

Devin Harris hit a 3 and Jefferson's 6-foot running jumper after Nowitzki's missed 3 gave Utah a 120-115 lead with 1:08 remaining.

Delonte West sank a 3 with 56 seconds left to get Dallas back within two points.

Millsap made 1 of 2 free throws with 14.9 seconds left and Utah led 121-118.

Jason Terry and Nowitzki both missed 3s in the final 10 seconds. Terry finished with 27 points and four 3s.

Harris' free throws provided Utah's final points, before West hit a 3 that was too little too late.

"Big plays and big shots on both ends of the floor, the crowd was into it, so you couldn't ask for a better game," said Nowitzki, who added nine rebounds and six assists. "We had our chances. If we get one rebound at the end of regulation the game is over."

DeMarre Carroll instead would come up with two huge rebounds for the Jazz late in the third overtime.

Carroll was playing just two days after having a front tooth dislodged and suffering a mild concussion in a loss at Memphis.

He was cleared to play Monday morning, and finished with 15 points, four rebounds, six assists and a steal for the Jazz.

Hayward added 24 points for Utah and Harris had 23, with five 3s.

Like the last game played in Utah between the teams, this one got chippy, with the Mavericks whistled for three individual technical fouls.

West drew chants of "Throw Him Out" after he was called for a technical in the second quarter after fouling Hayward away from the ball then poking his index finger in the back of Hayward's head a few seconds later.

Nothing was more physical than the matchup between Nowitzki and Millsap, who bumped and battled the entire night.

"He's a tough player," said Nowitzki, who started 3 of 3 but found early foul trouble. "I always liked him. He can make plays off the dribble and can post up. He's an active defender. We always have good matchups. Just their whole team competes. I don't care who they throw out there."

Millsap finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocks.

No matter how tight the Western Conference race, the Jazz know how hungry Jefferson is.

"He was huge," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. "I mean 26 rebounds, the timely shots on the perimeter. They were double-teaming him as soon as he got it, had bodies on him all night to try to get him off the block. But he hung in there."

NOTES: Mavericks PG Jason Kidd was making his 1,300th career start, and his 498th with Dallas. ... Terry tied the Clippers' Chauncey Billups for fourth place on the NBA's career 3-pointers list at 1,783. ... Jazz SF Josh Howard (knee surgery) and SG Raja Bell (knee) both worked out for about 15 minutes on the court during Monday's morning shootaround. ... Jazz backup PG Earl Watson will undergo surgery Tuesday in New York to repair torn cartilage in his right knee. ... NBA D-League call-up Blake Ahearn scored his first Jazz points on a 3-pointer with 11:43 left in the second quarter.

Notebook: Jazz 123, Mavericks 121

Posted Tuesday April 17, 2012 1:46AM

By Andrew Aragon, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Al Jefferson still envisions the Utah Jazz as a playoff team, so he went out and had a 20/20 night.

Jefferson had 28 points and 26 rebounds to lead the Jazz to a riveting 123-121 win over the Dallas Mavericks in triple overtime Monday night. Gordon Hayward had 24 points and Devin Harris had 23 as the Jazz closed in on a postseason berth. They're now only a half game behind Phoenix and Houston for the final Western Conference playoff spot.

Utah blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and had chances to win in the first and second overtime periods, but couldn't put the reigning champions away. The Jazz needed a put-back dunk from Paul Millsap with 2.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 89-89 just to send it into overtime.

Dirk Nowitzki rebounded from a subpar shooting effort Sunday to score 40 points. He had nine rebounds and six assists for the Mavericks, who were playing their fourth road game in five days. Jason Terry chipped in 27 points for Dallas.

THE STAT: The last Jazz player to have a 25-point, 25-rebound game? Karl Malone? Nope. Carlos Boozer? Wrong again. Rich Kelley, who played for the Jazz back in their New Orleans days, had 27 points and 25 rebounds against the L.A. Lakers in a 121-109 loss on Nov. 17, 1978.

QUOTABLE: "It's now or never. We started tonight. We just got to see where our heart is at and I know everybody in the locker room wants to make the playoffs. So we are going to fight and we are going to fight 'til the end. That's all we can do."
-- Jazz center Jefferson on his team needing to win to stay in the playoff race.

THE STAT II: Nothing stood out quite like Jefferson's stat line. His 26 rebounds tied a career-high and was the most for a Jazz player since Millsap had 24 in a game in April of 2010. Jefferson nearly had a double-double by halftime with eight points and 10 rebounds. He played the most of any player in Monday's game, going 54:02 and he didn't wear down. He had four points apiece in the second and third overtime periods.

TURNING POINT: The Jazz blew chances to win in the fourth quarter and each of the first two overtime periods before finally putting the Mavericks away. A 3-pointer by Harris and a jumper by Jefferson made it 120-115 with 1:08 left in the game. Millsap made a free throw and Harris sank two foul shots to make it 123-118 to finally pull it out for Utah. Delonte West hit a meaningless 3-pointer with 0.1 seconds left for Dallas.

HOT: Utah's DeMarre Carroll, making his fifth NBA start, caught fire in the third quarter. He scored 11 of his 15 points on 4-for-4 shooting and had three of his six assists in the third period. And that came after he had a root canal earlier in the day. Nowitzki, who shot 9-for-28 in an overtime loss against the Lakers on Sunday, was 13-for-26 from the field. He seemingly got whatever shot he wanted against the Jazz, and scored 40 points against them for the second time this season.

NOT: Vince Carter hit a couple 3-pointers in the fourth quarter that almost won the game for Dallas. But take those two bombs away and Carter shot 3-for-13, and he didn't score in any of the overtime periods. Rookie Alec Burks only played 12 minutes and shot 0-for-6 during that time. The Jazz blew a 10-point lead by shooting 29.4 percent in the fourth quarter, making just five shots.

GOOD MOVE: It was evident from the start that Nowitzki was getting the world champion treatment and he knew it. He was aggressive offensively, drew fouls and made his free throws. He shot 12-for-12 from the free-throw line.

BAD MOVE: West may have been inspired by the recent release of "The Three Stooges" movie. After he fouled Hayward while the two were running up the court in the second quarter, he was whistled for a technical foul for sticking his finger in Hayward's ear. Larry, Moe and Curly would have been proud.

QUOTABLE II: "It was a fun game to be a part of. Both teams left it all out there and competed at a high level. Big plays and big shots on both ends of the floor. The crowd was into it so you couldn't ask for a better game. We had our chances. If we get that rebound at the end of regulation the game is over."
-- Mavericks forward Nowitzki on what a great game it was while lamenting how failing to box out Millsap would have won the game for his team.

QUOTABLE III: "He had some lint in his hair. I was just trying to get it out for him. I was giving him a wet willy. That's all. We are two warriors. We're out there battling on the battlefield. I forgot the NBA is a gentleman's game so we have to scrap and do it nicely."
-- Mavericks guard West on his run-in with Hayward.

NOTABLE: Dallas guard Rodrigue Beaubois was listed as a game-time decision and Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle said he thought he'd play. But Beaubois was held out with a strained calf, missing his second straight game. Utah snapped a seven-game losing streak against the Mavericks. Dallas hadn't played in a triple overtime game since 1989. Jefferson, Millsap, Hayward, Harris, Nowitzki and Terry each played more than 50 minutes. Jason Kidd made his 1,300th career start.

UP NEXT: For the Mavericks, Wednesday vs. Rockets, Friday vs. Warriors, Saturday @ Chicago. For the Jazz, Wednesday @ Portland, Saturday vs. Magic, Tuesday, April 24, vs. Suns.

• Mavericks: Beaubois, Odom
• Jazz: Miles, Watson

• Mavericks: Nowitzki, Terry, West
• Jazz: --

• Lead Changes: 8
• Times Tied: 11

• Arena: EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
• Officials: #49 Tom Washington, #45 Brian Forte, #35 Kane Fitzgerald
• Attendance: 19363
• Duration: 3:16