Mavericks Take Control in Second Half, Defeat Jazz 112-100 to Move to 2-0 in NBA Cup

The Dallas Mavericks were not hitting their shots on Friday, but they were getting second chances, and P.J. Washington Jr. was able to score consistently, which allowed the team to hang around. Once Dallas got going offensively, the Mavericks never looked back.

Washington Jr. had a season-high 26 points, while Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving finished off the Utah Jazz after the break as the Mavericks defeated Utah 112-100 at American Airlines Center.

Dallas improved to 5-4 this season and 2-0 in Emirates NBA Cup play after beating the Houston Rockets 116-111 in its first Cup game on Oct. 30. The Mavericks also ended a two-game losing streak after dropping their previous games to Sacramento and San Antonio.

Head coach Dusty May mentioned how his players were playing hard and getting second shots, which kept them in the game.

“I felt like in the first half, when we weren’t making shots and things weren’t going necessarily well, the effort plays, the second shots, those allowed us just to hang around,” May said.

The coach also explained how his team was able to play better on the defensive end in the second half.

“We didn’t adjust to the game very well early,” May continued. “But because of the effort plays, we were able to hang around.”

May also credited the Mavericks’ defensive pressure and bench for helping turn the game around.

“I thought our bench was awesome tonight,” he said.

P.J. Washington Jr. Kept the Mavericks Afloat

Washington Jr. was the reason the Mavericks were able to keep the game close early. He scored 22 of his 26 points in the first half and went 5-of-6 from behind the arc.

With the Mavericks struggling from the field, he was able to keep them in the game. Flagg and Irving struggled to hit shots in the first half, going 3-of-17 combined.

The Jazz shot 53.5% from the field in the first half, but Dallas was able to tie the game at 57 heading into halftime.

Washington Jr. mentioned he was feeling comfortable with his shots.

“Just shooting my regular shots. Just felt really good,” Washington Jr. said. “So just try to be aggressive and continue to take open looks.”

He had 26 points on 7-of-14 shooting and was 6-of-10 from 3-point range, along with grabbing six rebounds.

May mentioned that Washington Jr. should continue to shoot with that kind of confidence.

“We need P.J. to be a 3-point shooter for us. I mean, he’s got a beautiful shot,” May said. “I love him shooting with that amount of confidence because we need it.”

The head coach also liked how Washington Jr. was able to guard smaller, quicker players on the defensive end.

“He may have told on himself tonight,” May said. “He really sat down and guarded a couple quick, fast point guards.”

Washington Jr. knows he has to do more than just score points. He can help defend, grab rebounds and create opportunities for others.

“In general, just for me, I just try to be the glue guy for everybody,” Washington Jr. said.

Flagg and Irving Close Out the Game

After struggling in the first half, both Flagg and Irving were able to find their shooting touch in the third quarter.

Flagg scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half, while Irving scored 12 of his 14 after halftime.

Both players combined to score 21 points during a 22-10 run, turning a one-point deficit into an 81-70 lead late in the third quarter.

The Mavericks outscored the Jazz 32-19 in the third quarter, taking an 89-76 lead into the fourth. Dallas scored the first seven points of the final quarter to take a 20-point lead.

May stated that his team was able to bring more competitiveness after halftime.

“Their physicality, their intensity, whatever it was, they flipped the switch at half and came out with a different look,” May said.

Flagg finished the night with 21 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three steals. He credited his teammates for supporting him when he was struggling to hit shots recently.

“A lot of credit to my teammates, just keeping me in good spirits and keeping my head up high and just making sure I know that they believe in me,” Flagg said.

The Mavericks also forced the Jazz into 21 turnovers.

“Even though shots are not going in, you got to find ways to impact the game,” Flagg said. “I thought as a team, second half, we came out with a different defensive tempo and competitive spirit.”

May also liked how Naji Marshall was able to bring that type of energy to the court.

“His tenacity, his on-ball pressure, that gave us a little bit of ignition,” May said.

Morez Johnson Jr. and Santi Aldama Had Great Games

Although Washington Jr., Flagg and Irving were able to score many points for Dallas, other players also had big games for the team.

Morez Johnson Jr. had one of his best games of the year, recording 13 points and a career-high 17 rebounds off the bench. He also had 10 offensive rebounds.

The Mavericks outrebounded the Jazz 63-45 on the night.

Dallas grabbed 21 offensive rebounds and outscored the Jazz 20-5 on second-chance points. The Mavericks’ bench also outscored Utah’s reserves 44-19.

May was pleased with how Johnson Jr. played.

“His energy, his effort, I mean, he’s a winning player,” May said.

Johnson Jr. has been working to get back to his previous form since the beginning of the season.

“He looks like he’s in game shape now,” May said.

Johnson Jr. has been dealing with a shin injury but was able to regain some of his explosiveness.

“I’m back, man. I’m right here,” Johnson Jr. said.

Flagg also mentioned how well his teammate played.

“I thought Rez was amazing,” Flagg said. “Just his effort crashing every single time.”

Flagg also pointed to Johnson Jr.’s 10 offensive rebounds as evidence of the effort he brought throughout the game.

Santi Aldama came off the bench and had a great debut with the Mavericks. He returned to the court after undergoing right knee surgery.

He scored eight points and grabbed nine rebounds in only 13 minutes.

“Just honestly happy to be out there,” Aldama said. “It just felt so good to feel the energy of an NBA game and just be out there.”

He mentioned how much he missed playing basketball and how all the support he received from the city of Dallas meant a lot to him.

“Everybody was just excited to have me back,” Aldama continued. “And that means a lot to me because basketball is my life.”

Although he hasn’t been able to practice with the starters, he was able to come in and make an impact.

“When you play hard, it overrides a lot of mistakes that may have happened,” Aldama said.

May challenged him to become a better rebounder, and Aldama is hoping to prove that he can.

“I’m trying to prove him wrong every night,” Aldama said. “Not just one night, every night.”

Washington Jr. was happy to have Aldama on his team after previously playing against him when Aldama was with Memphis.

“I love him. I love him,” Washington Jr. said. “I’ve been telling everybody I didn’t realize he was this tall.”

Washington Jr. believes Aldama is going to be a nightmare to guard because he can play on the perimeter and inside.

“He’s a mismatch nightmare,” Washington Jr. said. “You can play on the perimeter, you can play inside.”

May knows Aldama is going to be a good fit for the Mavericks’ offense.

“He’s such a good decision-maker. He stretches the defense with the spacing,” May said. “He’s an elite connector.”

Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 24 points, all coming from 3-point range. Rookie Darryn Peterson had 21 points, and Keyonte George added 16. The Jazz dropped to 1-8 on the season after losing seven straight games.

Mavericks Will Continue to Play in the NBA Cup

After beating Houston and Utah, the Mavericks are 2-0 in the NBA Cup. They will play Denver and Phoenix in their next two Cup games.

Having a good start to the tournament allows them to gain some momentum and continue to learn as a team.

“I think with the Cup, it’s giving you a little bit of that extra motivation,” Flagg said.

Flagg knows that if the Mavericks continue to compete at a high level, they can build the culture they want.

“That’s the standard we’re trying to set and the culture we’re trying to build,” Flagg said. “A high-level competing culture where we’re not just going through the motions.”

Dallas will host the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, looking to build on a victory that showed how its defense, rebounding and growing depth can make a difference even when the shots aren’t falling.