Irving aims for a balanced attack as the Mavs defeat the Jazz 110-102

The good thing about the Dallas Mavericks is that if one of their superstars isn’t performing at their best, they have two more Superstars who can bridge the gap.

Additionally, the Mavs know they have multiple role players talented enough to carry the load.

This was the case on Monday night against the Utah Jazz when Luka Dončić shot the ball on the night. But Kyrie Irving chipped in with 23 points and Klay Thompson scored 18 points as the Mavs held off the pesky Jazz 110-102 in front of a sellout crowd at American Airlines Center.

The Mavs are now 2-1 heading into the second night of a back-to-back game Tuesday in Minnesota against a Timberwolves team they defeated in the Western Conference finals last season. The Jazz remained winless at 0-3.

Dončić was just 5 of 22 from the field – including 1 of 9 from behind the three-point stripe – and finished the game with 15 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Meanwhile, Irving, who also contributed six rebounds and nine assists, knew it was imperative for him to take his game to the next level when Dončić went wide.

“Basketball is a game of ups and downs,” Irving said. “We’re at the beginning of the season, we’re all trying to get in shape, we’re all trying to find our rhythm (and) make sure we develop some chemistry with the new guys here.

“I wouldn’t call it a fight (by Dončić). We’re just getting back into the swing of basketball, the rhythm of basketball. But when nights like this happen, we all have to pick each other up, whether it’s because I’m struggling a little or because I’m not finding my opportunity as quickly as I’d like. Yes, I stepped on the gas a little bit, but I think it was a combination of all of us in that locker room just taking our defensive pressure and making the smart decisions offensively.”

That defensive pressure and smart decisions allowed the Mavs to rebound from Saturday’s 12-point loss to the Phoenix Suns. And it wasn’t just Irving and Thompson who shut down the Jazz.

PJ Washington flew all over the court and filled the statistics with 12 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and two blocks. The bench also produced 33 points, 14 of which came from Dereck Lively II and 11 more from Spencer Dinwiddie.

“I thought the bench was really good,” coach Jason Kidd said. “I think D-Live was the only one to score in the first half, but only in the secondThe bench basically took over the game for us and gave us a spark. It was great to see Spencer able to deliver.”

Dinwiddie hit a trio of three-pointers in the third quarter, including one with 2.4 seconds left that gave the Mavs an 82-70 lead early in the fourth quarter.

“He gave us a big spark,” Irving said, referring to Dinwiddie. “He had a great game. It’s great that he’s calling the shots alongside D-Live or other people that come in.

“He is an important figure for us this season to show his maturity and calm us down when we don’t score.”

The game was marred by a horrific injury to Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks, who fell to the ground after jogging to the right side of the basket at the Utah end of the court. No one touched Hendricks when he tripped over himself and landed with his right leg bent sideways, ending up with a fractured right fibula and a dislocated right ankle.

As fans watched in horror, paramedics immediately rushed to lift Hendricks from the ground. The game resumed about 15 minutes later with the Mavs holding a 64-59 lead.

Later, after a three-pointer from Utah’s Jordan Clarkson and a three-pointer from Collin Sexton, the Mavs took a 101-95 lead with 3:51 left. However, Dončić hit a three-pointer, Irving hit two free throws, Dončić scored on a quick break layup and Washington completed a dunk to give Dallas a comfortable lead of 110-97 with 1:26 left.

“I think one of our strengths is that when we can go out and run, we have athletes who can finish,” Kidd said. “I thought PJ was the guy that could do his best and go coast to coast, but he could also be on the other side of the lob or the playmaking.

“So, I thought his intent for the ball to hit the paint was very high tonight and we’re going to need that again in less than 24 hours.”

Lively agreed that getting out there and pushing the ball faster down the field has to be a calling card for the Mavs this season.

“We do our best when we’re on the right track, putting pressure on the rim and rotating the defense,” Lively said. “I feel like we did a good job of moving the ball, finding each other and just finding the free shot.

“Sometimes we were a little too selfless, but that’s a great thing.”

The Mavs led by as many as 11 points early in the second quarter (31-20). And for the first time this season, they managed to master the lob dunk, one of the patented plays they used frequently on their way to last season’s NBA Finals.

First it was Dončić who threw over Daniel Gafford. Just over three minutes later, Lively received a lob pass from Washington and pushed the ball through the basket to give the Mavs a 39-31 lead.

“I feel like we’re on the right track, but we need to do better,” Irving said. “We are nowhere near our championship habits at the moment.

“We’re in this phase of development – trying not to get too frustrated but also staying encouraged, staying motivated (and) getting our legs in shapeh us. If that happens, I feel like we’ll be fine.”

Overall, the Mavs shot 45.3 percent from the field but missed 28 of their 39 three-pointers. They held the Jazz to 37 percent shooting and just 10 of 35 three-pointers.

“We’re not shooting the ball well right now,” Kidd said. “We’re getting a completely clear view and they just haven’t gone down, but we have to keep getting those shots.

“I thought the rhythm of the game was a lot better for us, even with brands.”

As for changing his rotation, Kidd said whoever is in the game, “You have to be positive. If you are not sure, you will be given a place. That’s just the name of the game, so that’s what we’re looking for.

“If you are positive, you play. Nothing has changed since day one. For us it’s about winning, not about feelings. You (media) people can express your opinion about who should be in the game or who should start, but it’s about who plays well. And that’s exactly what we’re looking for.”

Kidd praised the performances of Naji Marshall (four points, six rebounds, two assists, 15 minutes) and Quentin Grimes (four points, three rebounds, 13 minutes). He also took his hat off to the way his team responded when Dončić didn’t have his best shooting night.

“(Doncic is) human, and you saw that today, but I thought he really relies on his teammates to create plays and (convert) open looks,” Kidd said. “He’s not going to be perfect every night.

“Right now we are trying again to build a relationship with everyone. We had a few guys in training camp, we were able to see how guys react in different situations and that’s why you play 82 games. I thought the group had gathered around Luka tonight. He didn’t play his best, but the other guys stepped up and we’re going to need that all season long.”

X: @DwainPrice