Jordan Clarkson, perfect Gobert help Jazz beat Mavs
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) passes the ball as he is defended by Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) and forward Maxi Kleber (42) during the second half an NBA basketball game in Dallas, Monday, Feb. 10, 2020. Utah defeated Dallas 123-119. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
DALLAS — Another perfect night for Rudy Gobert against Dallas didn’t feel much like one with a lead slipping away in the third quarter.
The Utah Jazz and their 7-foot-1 center found a way to hang on for the win.
Jordan Clarkson scored 25 points before fouling out, helping Gobert and the Jazz beat the Mavericks 123-119 on Monday night.
Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic scored 23 points apiece, with each hitting key baskets late in the fourth quarter after the Jazz’s 21-point halftime lead was whittled to three in the third.
“It’s never all going to be perfect,” said Gobert, who was 7 of 7 from the field after making all eight attempts in Utah’s home victory over Dallas last month.
“Some days there’s a storm and we got to all come together and finish the game as a team. I think we did a pretty good job doing that when they made a big run.”
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored a season-high 33 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 28 for the Mavericks in their seventh straight game without injured All-Star point guard Luka Doncic.
The second-year sensation, who has a sprained right ankle, could return for the final game before the All-Star break. The Mavericks are 3-4 in their second stint without Doncic, both because of a right ankle sprain.
Utah shot 61% in the first half and a season-high 59% for the game, just shy of the highest percentage Dallas has allowed this season.
The Mavericks have one of the best road records in the league at 18-8 but dropped to 14-14 at home. They’ve lost four of their past five at home.
“It’s embarrassing,” Hardaway said. “We all know that. Everybody’s got to get their minds and bodies right to come out here and compete for 48. We’re not doing that at home.”
Bogdanovic had a pair of clutch 3-pointers a night after the Croatian forward became the NBA’s first player with multiple buzzer-beaters this season, hitting a 3 that beat the Rockets in Houston 114-113.
Mitchell, who was 8 of 12, connected on a tough turnaround jumper for a late seven-point lead.
“We’ve been on the wrong end of those, where they come back and take the lead,” Mitchell said. “The biggest thing is we weren’t like scared. We weren’t like, ‘Here he go again.’ How do we fix it and we continued to push forward.”
Clarkson was 10 of 17 and had eight assists and five rebounds. He fouled out with four minutes remaining as the Jazz won their third straight game since a five-game losing streak that followed a 19-2 stretch.
Hardaway scored 14 points in the third quarter, when Dallas cut a 21-point halftime deficit to three before the Jazz finished the quarter on a 17-4 run.
TIP-INS
Jazz: PG Mike Conley missed the second night of a back-to-back for the second straight time, officially for injury recovery from right knee soreness. The Jazz might rest their 32-year-old starter on the back end of their four remaining back-to-backs. Conley also missed 19 games with a left hamstring strain. … Emmanuel Mudiay scored 12 points, and Joe Ingles matched Clarkson for the game high with eight assists. … Gobert has made 17 consecutive shots against Dallas going back to last Feb 23.
Mavericks: League leaders in second-chance points coming in, the Mavericks had season lows in second-chance points (outscored 13-2) and rebounds (outrebounded 45-26). Dallas’ previous rebounding low was 44. … Seth Curry scored 15 points.
ASSIST OF THE NIGHT
Boban Marjanovic, the 7-4 Serb, bailed out the 7-3 Porzingis when his Latvian teammate couldn’t poke the ball out with the end of a broomstick when the ball got stuck in the shot clock apparatus behind a backboard.
Porzingis failed several times to dislodge the ball before Marjanovic wandered over from the bench and took over to the crowd’s cheers. They grew louder when Marjanovic succeeded on his first try.
WHISPERING SNYDER
Utah coach Quin Snyder barely made it through a brief pregame media session because he was losing his voice. He didn’t even try after the game, sending assistant Alex Jensen to talk to reporters.
UP NEXT
Each team is at home Wednesday for its final game before the All-Star break. Utah opens a season-long six-game homestand against Miami. Dallas plays Sacramento.
