The Dallas Mavericks head into Mavericks Vs Nets with a bit of momentum after beating the Utah Jazz 112-100 on Friday night, and Morez Johnson Jr.'s work on the glass was one of the biggest reasons why. Dallas snapped a two-game losing streak, opened its three-game homestand with a win, and now gets a Brooklyn Nets team that arrives in a difficult spot.
Morez Johnson Jr. finished with 13 points and 17 rebounds, including 10 offensive rebounds, in a performance that gave Dallas a clear edge in the paint. P.J. Washington added 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg combined to give the Mavericks enough production to control the game.
Why the glass could decide this one
That rebound total matters again on Sunday night because Brooklyn has already shown it can be a problem on the boards. The Nets entered at 2-6 and were also coming in on the second night of a back-to-back after playing Atlanta on Saturday.
Dallas have shown they can hang with better teams, but they have also lost games when they play down to weaker opponents. That is the balance issue in front of them now: if they bring the same physical edge they showed against Utah, they should give themselves a strong chance to handle a Nets team that is still searching for consistency.
Dallas still has work to do
There were positive signs beyond the result. The Mavericks got 26 points from one contributor, eight points and nine rebounds from another, and they managed the game well enough to close out a needed win before the schedule tightens again.
They remain without Dereck Lively II, which keeps the frontcourt conversation firmly in focus. But with Morez Johnson Jr. providing energy, Washington holding his own, and Dallas beginning to settle into the homestand, this is the type of game the Mavericks will believe they should control.
After Brooklyn, Indiana comes to town on Monday, so the next two days give Dallas a chance to build something useful at home. If they can back up the Utah win with another disciplined performance, the early part of this homestand can start to look much more secure.
