Salt Lake City, UT — John Collins delivered a thrilling performance, pouring in 28 points, including a decisive rim rocker dunk with just 6.4 seconds remaining, to propel the Utah Jazz to their first home win of the season, edging out the Dallas Mavericks 115-113 on Thursday night.
In addition to his scoring, Collins also grabbed nine rebounds, while Jordan Clarkson contributed 20 points. For Dallas, Luka Doncic led the charge with 37 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists. Quentin Grimes stepped up in Kyrie Irving’s absence due to a right shoulder sprain, adding 15 points and five assists, while Klay Thompson chipped in with 17 points.
The Mavericks managed to erase a double-digit deficit and equalize the score with a late three-pointer from Thompson. However, Collins quickly responded with his game-winning dunk.
The Mavs held a lead at halftime, and Doncic scored six baskets in the third quarter, but Utah’s offense surged ahead. The Jazz went on a 9-0 run after back-to-back scores from Doncic, culminating in a tip-in layup by Collins that pushed Utah to a 90-78 advantage.
Takeaways Of The Game:
Mavericks: The absence of Irving left Dallas without a reliable second scorer, which hindered their ability to keep pace with Utah’s high-scoring attack.
Jazz: Rookie forward Kyle Filipowski is emerging as a dependable scorer, averaging 16.0 points on an impressive 68.4% shooting over the last two games.
Key Moment Of The Game:
In a pivotal third quarter, the Jazz scored on six consecutive possessions, taking an 81-73 lead, with Lauri Markkanen contributing three baskets, including a step-back three-pointer.
Key Stat Of The Game:
Utah capitalized on fast breaks, scoring 20 points on the run.
Up Next:
The Mavericks will host the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night, while the Jazz will face the Sacramento Kings on the same evening.
