Kyrie Irving scored 30 points, leading the Dallas Mavericks to a 106-94 victory over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night in Salt Lake City.
The Mavericks improved to 5-1 without their star player, Luka Doncic, who was with the team but didn’t play due to a wrist injury.
Quentin Grimes contributed 24 points, and both P.J. Washington (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Daniel Gafford (14 points, 11 rebounds) each posted double-doubles in Dallas’ third consecutive win.
Lauri Markkanen, who had missed the Jazz’s previous game for the birth of his child, led Utah with 19 points on 7-of-20 shooting.
The Jazz struggled with their shooting, hitting only 35.8 percent from the field, as they lost their third straight game and seventh in the last eight.
Walker Kessler had a solid performance for Utah, recording 18 points, 10 rebounds, five blocks, and three steals. John Collins added 16 points and nine rebounds, while Collin Sexton and Brice Sensabaugh each scored 13 points.
Irving started the game strong, hitting a 3-pointer on the Mavericks’ first possession, and Dallas never trailed after that. A dunk by Dereck Lively II less than four minutes in put Dallas up by 10, 16-6. By the end of the first quarter, the Mavericks led 40-22, thanks to a 13-0 run toward the end.
Utah came out strong in the second quarter, starting with a 10-2 run, and cut the deficit to just four points, 53-49, after Keyonte George and Kessler combined for five free throws. Irving ended the half with a last-second 3-pointer, giving Dallas a 56-49 lead.
The Jazz made a few runs in the third quarter to get within three points, but Irving and Washington scored 17 of Dallas’ 30 points in the quarter, pushing their lead back to 10, 86-76, going into the fourth.
In the fourth, the Jazz got as close as five points, but Irving hit a crucial 3-pointer, and the Mavericks held on to secure the win. Utah managed only 18 points in the final quarter.
