The Dallas Mavericks travel to Salt Lake City searching for their sixth win in seven games, but they'll do so with more injury concerns.
The Dallas Mavericks are enjoying their best stretch of the season, but as the grueling injury reality reminds us, all good things are fleeting throughout an 82-game schedule.
Even after resting for a near week-long break last week, the injury concerns have struck with star center Anthony Davis being diagnosed with a calf contusion on the latest injury report following the Mavs' win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. Davis led the way with 24 points and 14 rebounds to get Dallas its fifth win in six games.
That streak of success is now on the line Monday night in Salt Lake City as the Mavericks look to tie their season-long win streak of three games in a test against the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center.
Davis' injury designation brings about uncertainty given that the 10-time All-Star missed 14 games earlier this season with a calf strain amid a slow start for the Mavs offensively that resulted in a handful of close losses. A.D. has only appeared in 11 of Dallas' 26 games.
The Jazz will also be hit with unavailability inside, as leading rebounder Jusuf Nurkic is out for Monday's game due to load management, along with young center Walker Kessler already being ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury. Georges Niang is also out with a stress reaction in his foot.
The Mavs will turn to star rookie Cooper Flagg, who posted another historic stat line against Brooklyn and continues to be Dallas' go-to force in clutch-time situations. The first-overall pick and potential Rookie of the Year frontrunner is averaging 17.5 points and 6.3 rebounds. In his last 10 games, Flagg has risen his points average to 20 a night, but has struggled mightily from three-point range, shooting only 15 percent during that stretch.
Dallas (10-16) sits 10th in the Western Conference standings to occupy the final Play-In Tournament slot. Though there is much more games to be played, the Jazz will look to overtake Dallas - and could momentarily with a win on Monday - as Utah (9-15) is 11th in the West.
The Jazz are led by Finnish forward Lauri Markkanen, who is top-10 in the league in scoring at 27.6 points per game. DFW-native Keyonte George also carries a heavy load as the third-year guard from Baylor averages a career-high 22.9 points to go with a team-high 6.8 assists per game.
If there is ever an opportunity for Flagg and the Mavericks offensive to keep the wins coming through better offensive play, it's Monday night against the Jazz. Utah's defense ranks second-to-last in points allowed (125.8), field goals allowed (44.8) and dead last in three-point field goals allowed (15.5) per game to their opponents.
Dallas should use its league-leading 17.9 fastbreak points to its advantage in this matchup against a struggling defense.
How to Watch, Betting Odds
WHO: Dallas Mavericks (10-16, 10th in West) at Utah Jazz (9-15, 11th in West)
WHERE: Delta Center | Salt Lake City, UT
WHEN: Monday Dec. 15 | 8 p.m. CST
TV: KFAA-29 (DFW), MavsTV streaming
RADIO: KEGL 97.1 FM The Eagle (DFW); 99.1 FM Zona MX (Spanish)
SPREAD: Dallas -1.5, Utah +1.5
TOTAL: 240.5
MONEYLINE: Dallas -120, Utah EVEN
Injury Report
Anthony Davis: Questionable (left calf contusion)
Daniel Gafford: Questionable (left ankle management)
D'Angelo Russell: Out (illness)
Kyrie Irving: Out (left knee surgery)
Dereck Lively II: Out for season (right foot)
Dante Exum: Out for season (right knee surgery)
Jusuf Nurkic: Out (rest)
Georges Niang: Out (foot)
Walker Kessler: Out for season (shoulder)