Luka Doncic and Dallas Mavericks dominate second half to top Jazz in crucial contest

The Dallas Mavericks trailed by one at halftime, but hit a 3-pointer on the first possession of the second half and never looked back in a dominating 114-100 win over the Utah Jazz to take over fourth in the Western Conference. Their run started in the second quarter, but Dallas could never quite completely close the gap until the final 24 minutes. The Jazz were without Rudy Gobert, and they struggled to stop the Mavericks on Sunday night.

Superstar Luka Doncic was outstanding against the Jazz. He once again shined on a massive stage as he finished with 32 points, ten rebounds, and five assists on 11 of 21 shooting from the field. He was hunting mismatches and making them pay as the Mavs outscored Utah by nine in his 33 minutes on the floor.

It was not just Luka who stood out on March 27. Reggie Bullock and Jalen Brunson each had massive performances as the Mavericks cruised to an important victory. Here is a closer look at their performance and what lies ahead for Dallas.

Luka Doncic and Dallas Mavericks dominate second half for a crucial win over Jazz

Doncic had it locked in on Sunday night. He had 21 first-half points to keep Dallas in the contest, including drilling an incredible buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the first half.

Luka was not going to let the Mavericks lose on Sunday night as the team moved into fourth in the Western Conference and are now favorites to have homecourt in the first round of the playoffs. The two teams split the season series, and Utah is likely to win their division to hold the tiebreaker, but Dallas is one game up with just seven left in the regular season for both teams.

The Mavs need someone to hit open 3-pointers when the defense collapses on Doncic. Reggie Bullock did the job on March 27 as he finished with 23 points, including connecting on a season-high seven triples. Bullock always plays strong perimeter defense as the Mavericks outscored the Jazz by 20 in his 35 minutes on the floor.

Jalen Brunson finished with 22 points, ten rebounds, and five assists on seven of 15 shooting from the field. He created plenty of easy buckets against the Jazz and played a key role in the crucial win.

The Dallas Mavericks host the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night in the first of a back-to-back in their next game. They will be looking to stay hot and close out the regular season strong to secure homecourt in the first round of the playoffs. Do not miss a second of the action, and stay tuned to The Smoking Cuban for all the latest on the team.