Dallas could live with missing six free throws Friday because it made 25 of them. In a 112-100 victory over Utah at American Airlines Center, those conversions gave the Mavericks a dependable scoring source on a night when the three-point line offered little comfort.
Dallas shot 9 of 32 from beyond the arc, a 28 percent showing that would have made a less complete offensive night very uncomfortable. Utah, meanwhile, made 15 threes. Lauri Markkanen accounted for eight of them, scoring all 24 of his points from long range.
The Jazz won that particular contest by 18 points, yet Dallas built enough elsewhere to keep the game from being decided by it.
The headline comparison is simple: Dallas made 25 free throws to Utah’s 13. The 12-point difference matched the final margin, although it cannot carry the entire explanation by itself. Dallas also controlled the glass 55-41, collected 21 offensive rebounds and turned those second opportunities into 20 points. The Mavericks scored 60 points on two-point field goals, while Utah had 42.
That combination gave Dallas ways to finish possessions when jump shots failed. A missed three did not automatically end an attack if a Maverick could recover the ball, get inside or draw contact. The free throws were the cleanest part of that equation because Dallas converted 81 percent of its attempts, while Utah made 93 percent of fewer chances.
P.J. Washington provided the most obvious individual example. He scored 26 points, a season high, while making 6 of 10 threes and 6 of 7 free throws.
His outside shooting mattered, especially because the rest of Dallas combined to go 3 of 22 from deep. But Washington also scored 22 points before halftime, helping the Mavericks stay level at 57-57 while Markkanen was punishing them from outside.
The third quarter changed the shape of the game without erasing Utah’s shooting advantage. The Jazz led 60-59 with 10:19 remaining in the period. Cooper Flagg answered with a three, then added two free throws. Later, Ace Bailey’s dunk put Utah ahead 70-68 with 7:44 left. Dallas responded with 13 straight points, reaching an 81-70 lead at 3:33.
That burst included more than perimeter makes. Flagg scored during it, but free throws, a dunk, an offensive rebound and a layup also appeared before Dallas established separation. Santi Aldama’s offensive rebound came at 3:44, and he later finished a 3-foot layup. Those details explain why Dallas did not need to win the three-point exchange to win the game.
Flagg’s night was especially productive because his scoring arrived in stages. He had four points at halftime, but also six rebounds and six assists. After the break, he supplied 17 points and contributed seven assists and ten rebounds alongside 21 points, with three steals as well.
He made all six of his free throws, went 7 of 16 from the field and shot 1 of 4 from three. The line was not built around one spectacular shooting category; it reflected influence across several parts of the game.
