Mavericks Suffer Late Collapse: Markkanen Drops 33 & 7 as Anthony Davis Gets Hurt Again, No. 1 Pick Posts 26-10-8, Klay Erupts in Valiant Effort

On January 9 (Beijing time), the Utah Jazz hosted the Dallas Mavericks and edged out a thrilling 116–114 win at the final buzzer. Utah had been in a rough stretch lately—just one night earlier, they nearly stole a win from the Thunder but ultimately fell in overtime behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That loss extended their skid to five straight, leaving the Jazz sitting 13th in the Western Conference.

Dallas, meanwhile, came in riding a two-game winning streak and ranked 11th in the West. However, the bigger storyline remains their injury situation: according to ESPN reporter and Mavericks beat writer Tim MacMahon, Kyrie Irving is not expected to return before the February 6 trade deadline—and there’s a real possibility he could miss the rest of the season.

Utah’s starting five featured George, Sensabaugh, Williams, Markkanen, and Love. Dallas opened with Christie, Marshall, Flagg, Anthony Davis, and Gafford.

Dallas started sharp in the first quarter, jumping out to an 8–3 lead. Love answered to steady the Jazz, but Flagg drilled a three to keep the Mavericks moving. Utah then flipped the script with an 11–2 surge to take control. Davis briefly halted the run with a bucket, only for Williams to respond emphatically with a dunk as the Jazz strung together another 9–2 push. Klay Thompson knocked down a shot to calm things down, and while George continued to produce points for Utah, Thompson and Flagg hit timely threes to keep Dallas within striking distance. After one, the Mavericks trailed by five.

The second quarter opened with Thompson splashing another three. Markkanen went a perfect 2-for-2 at the line, but both teams hit a short offensive lull. Love broke the drought by drawing contact and converting free throws, and Christie followed suit for Dallas. Then Markkanen took over—scoring in bursts—while Clayton added a three to fuel Utah’s momentum. The Jazz stretched the lead to as many as 14, but Nembhard’s three gave Dallas a much-needed spark. Markkanen responded quickly, yet the Mavericks closed the half with real force: Thompson caught fire from deep and Davis ramped up his aggression attacking the rim. By halftime, Dallas had trimmed the deficit to just three.

Dallas carried that energy into the third, opening with a 6–2 run to grab the lead. George countered with a driving layup, Love hit a three, and Davis answered with a lay-in of his own. Marshall then floated in a tough shot, and from there the game turned into a possession-by-possession battle. The Mavericks tried to create separation, but Markkanen, Sensabaugh, and company pushed back—Utah reclaimed the lead and went up four.

Dallas responded with a crucial 6–0 run to swing the momentum again. Anderson finished in transition, Filipowski buried a three, and the Mavericks closed the quarter on a 7–3 spurt to carry a one-point lead into the fourth.

The final quarter delivered pure drama, with both teams trading baskets and the lead changing hands repeatedly. Markkanen and Sensabaugh helped Utah inch ahead by two, but Dallas immediately punched back with a dominant 9–0 burst that looked like it might seal the night. George drilled a clutch three to keep the Jazz alive, and Markkanen answered with six straight points to pull Utah back into it.

Sensabaugh then nailed a huge three, while Marshall split a pair of free throws. Moments later, Sensabaugh came up with a steal and finished the fast break, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Thompson responded with a timely three of his own, but George stayed composed and knocked down a mid-range jumper in the closing moments.

In the end, Utah completed the comeback and handed Dallas a narrow 116–114 defeat—an intense, back-and-forth finish where the Jazz finally got the bounce their recent games had denied them.