RUDY Gobert amassed 29 points, 20 rebounds, three blocks and three steals, and Jordan Clarkson scored 31 points as the Utah Jazz cruised past the Dallas Mavericks 116-104 Wednesday in Salt Lake City for their 10th consecutive win.
Fill-in starter Joe Ingles added 21 points, hitting seven 3-pointers, with eight assists and Mike Conley contributed 17 points and six assists.
The Jazz played for the first time this season without Donovan Mitchell. The All-Star guard couldn’t play after beginning the concussion protocol earlier in the day after being hurt during Utah’s win over New York on Tuesday night.
Luka Dončić led Dallas with 30 points, while Tim Hardaway, Jr. scored 19 and Kristaps Porziņģis added 18. No other Mavs reached double figures, however, as the team suffered its third straight loss and sixth in eight games.
This was the first time in 18 games this season that the Jazz didn’t have their usual starting lineup. Utah was also without backup big man Derrick Favors, who was hampered by lower back soreness.
Even so, the Jazz didn’t skip a beat without them despite playing their second game in as many nights.
Ingles gave Utah the lead for good after his 3-pointer just 92 seconds into the contest put the Jazz ahead 5-2.
Moments later, Gobert ignited a 9-0 run with two free throws after the Mavs had pulled within six points. Utah led by 13 after the first quarter and entered the second half up 69-48.
Clarkson scored 22 points and Gobert had 20 by the break to lead the short-handed home team, which hasn’t lost in three weeks.
Utah led by as many as 25 points — 98-73 after a Clarkson 3 late in the third quarter — and had a 22-point advantage through three quarters.
The Mavs’ Josh Richardson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Dwight Powell played for the first time in weeks due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
The Jazz and Mavs will play again in Utah on Friday night. — Reuters
