SALT LAKE CITY – Monday night was supposed to be a stress-free start to a potential season-swaying five-game, 11-day trip.
The Mavericks were playing the Utah Jazz, who have let go of the rope for this season. On paper, it was a soft start to a trip that gets a lot more demanding in a hurry on Tuesday in Sacramento.
As it turned out, their short stay in Utah was anything but a walk in the park.
The Mavericks were stuck in a tie game early in the fourth quarter before their defense remembered to show up and they pulled away for a 115-105 victory over the Jazz at the Delta Center.