Jazz at Mavericks
THE STORY: The Dallas Mavericks have lost a season-worst four consecutive games but have to feel good about seeing the Utah Jazz. Dallas has beaten Utah six straight times and the Jazz are just 3-12 on the road. Utah could be headed for a letdown after a scintillating home win over the Miami Heat on Friday. Dallas lost to the lowly New Orleans Hornets on Friday. The contest is the first of a five-game road trip for Utah.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Utah), Fox Sports Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE JAZZ (17-18): Point guard Devin Harris scored the decisive three-point play with 4.5 seconds left in the 99-98 upset of the Heat. Harris had 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting and helped the Jazz set the tempo while building an 18-point, third-quarter lead. Harris is averaging 16.7 points over the past three games and has scored in double digits in five straight games. Center Al Jefferson had a game-high 20 points for Utah, which snapped Miami’s nine-game winning streak.
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (21-16): Guard Roddy Beaubois was inserted into the starting lineup and scored a season-best 25 points in the loss to the Hornets. Beaubois hit 11 of 17 shots to follow up two solid bench performances in which he averaged 13.5 points. There have been rumblings that Beaubois is on the trading block so the increased playing time could be a showcase for a move. The third-year guard had 22 points against Utah on Jan. 27, which was his season high until Friday’s stellar showing.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The Mavericks have won 17 of the last 20 meetings against Utah in Dallas.
2. Utah forward Paul Millsap (heel) had just eight points against Miami in his return from a one-game absence.
3. Dallas assigned struggling forward Lamar Odom to the
Texas Legends of the D-League on Friday but recalled him Saturday and he
will suit up against the Jazz.