PREVIEW: The Dallas Mavericks enter this matchup having concluded the first half of the season with a 15-26 record following a 118-109 loss to Denver , while the Utah Jazz have been struggling lately, losing seven of their last nine games. Dallas suffered significant injuries in that Denver contest, with both Cooper Flagg and Daniel Gafford spraining their ankles , adding to an already lengthy injury list for the squad. The Mavericks were already without Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II, and Dante Exum heading into the game . Despite these challenges, Caleb Martin delivered a season-high 15 points on efficient 7-of-9 shooting, providing a bright spot in the disappointing defeat . The Jazz represent a team still searching for consistency after coming up just short against Chicago 128-126, with Brice Sensabaugh's 43 points and Keyonte George's 25 points going to waste as Nikola Vucevic made the game-winning layup with just 4 seconds remaining. Utah has also dealt with injury complications, currently missing Taylor Hendricks for the season and Walker Kessler with a hip issue, leaving them short-handed in the frontcourt. Led by John Collins, Lauri Markkanen, and Collin Sexton, the Jazz rank dead last in NBA scoring at just 105.7 points per game . Both teams arrive banged up and searching for traction, making this contest a crucial opportunity for either squad to gain momentum during the second half of the season.