The Dallas Mavericks put together their most complete preseason performance yet Monday night, defeating the Utah Jazz 114–101 at Delta Center. The win came after head coach Jason Kidd challenged his team pregame to improve its shot selection, increase tempo, and find the balance between attacking the paint and generating perimeter looks.

Dallas took that direction literally, firing 53 three-pointers — nearly doubling its total from Saturday’s home loss to Charlotte — while controlling the interior behind a dominant front line. The Mavericks, now 2–1 in preseason play, outrebounded the Jazz 59–48 and blocked 10 shots while holding Utah to 40.2 percent shooting.

“The pace is there,” Kidd said before the game. “Some of the shots, we’ve got to get better at. In today’s game, it’s the three, free throw, or layup. We’ve got to do better. The intent is right offensively — we’re pushing the ball, we’re sharing the ball.”

Anthony Davis led Dallas with 25 points and six rebounds in 25 minutes, giving the Mavericks a steady inside presence during a first half that built a 61–53 lead. Kidd said Davis’ performance represented his best preseason showing so far.

“You could see his conditioning — he’s starting to ramp up more minutes,” Kidd said. “If he’s going to play like he did tonight, that puts us in a good seat to win a lot of games.”

Jason Kidd’s Emphasis on Pace and Threes

Kidd entered the night looking for a sharper offensive approach after Dallas relied too heavily on mid-range shots in its first two outings. He said before tipoff that the Mavericks needed to modernize their shot profile.

“Game 1, we were good. Game 2, we took a lot of mids,” Kidd said. “In the eighties or nineties that would be acceptable, but in today’s game it’s the three, free throw, or layup.”

That message resonated. Despite shooting just 28.3 percent from three, Dallas attempted more than half of its 94 field goals from long range. Kidd joked that the team was chasing the league-wide trend set by Boston.

“We want to shoot 60 like everybody else,” he said before the game. “Playing against Charlotte, you could see that was their goal — to shoot 50. That’s just the trend right now in this league. If you can get to 50 or more, you have a chance to win.”

Big Lineup, Bigger Impact

With D’Angelo Russell sidelined, the Mavericks started a supersized lineup featuring Davis, Dereck Lively II, Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington, and Klay Thompson. Kidd previewed the approach earlier in the day, noting that “anyone can bring it” under the team’s pace-driven system.

“The one thing we’ve talked about since day one is anyone can bring it,” Kidd said. “You’ll see that — turnovers, rebounds, on makes — you’ll see that tonight with the lineup change. Anyone can bring it, and we’re looking to score in the first six seconds.”

Lively played limited minutes as part of the rotation adjustment, but Kidd confirmed there was no injury concern. The team simply wanted to evaluate Davis at center for extended stretches — a move that paid off. With Davis anchoring those lineups, Dallas built rhythm and momentum on both ends, finding its defensive identity while maintaining offensive pace.

The Mavericks’ length overwhelmed Utah. Washington had six rebounds and a highlight defensive play when he blocked Lauri Markkanen’s three-point attempt early in the game.

Flagg, making his first start at point guard, recorded 11 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks, showing his ability to facilitate and defend multiple positions. Kidd said postgame that the team’s length and athleticism could make it one of the league’s best shot-blocking units.

“When you look at the depth of our bigs and our wings — our wings are athletic and can also block shots,” Kidd said. “It’s rare to block a Markkanen jump shot, but P.J. started us off. Yes, I think we could be one of the best shot-blocking teams in the league.”

Depth Guards Take Advantage

Dallas was again without several regulars, including Russell, Kyrie Irving, Daniel Gafford, Brandon Williams, Caleb Martin, Dante Exum, and Dalano Banton. In their absence, two-way guards Ryan Nembhard and Miles Kelly took advantage of extended minutes.

Nembhard dished out 12 assists, setting the tone as a secondary ball-handler and showing confidence in Kidd’s offense.

“Just to get some experience — experience in these games at this level, with these guys, and show the coaching staff and the organization what I can do,” Nembhard said. “There’s a lot more space out there on the court. Our offense has a lot of cutting and good actions in it, so there’s a lot of space to make plays.”

Kelly scored 14 points on four made threes and said he’s focusing on consistency and defensive detail as he adjusts to the NBA pace.

“When your name is called, you’ve got to take advantage of the opportunity,” Kelly said. “Ryan makes it easy — all I’ve got to do is find an open window and knock down the shot. It’s about paying attention to the little details, especially defensively. Everybody at this level knows the game.”

Kidd praised both players for their poise and readiness.

“Ryan took full advantage of the opportunity,” he said. “He set the table well. We’ll get him more minutes with that first group.”

Finding the Formula

For Kidd, the Mavericks’ preseason isn’t just about wins — it’s about identity. Every lineup experiment and shot attempt has been aimed at answering a central question: can Dallas blend its newfound size with the modern NBA’s obsession with spacing and pace?

“We’ve played Houston, who’s huge, and San Antonio, who’s long — they’re mammoth,” Kidd said. “The Jazz will have four guys with a 7-1 wingspan starting tonight. I think there’s going to be a point where it might come back to playing inside, where the paint becomes key. Can you dominate the paint as much as getting up 50 threes? Can you do both?”

Afterward, Kidd echoed that theme, pleased that Dallas managed to establish both ends of the formula.

“I don’t know when the last time a Mavs team shot 50-some threes,” he said. “But we also dominated the paint, and that’s what we want — we can do both.”

The Mavericks will travel to Las Vegas for practice Tuesday before facing the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Kidd said Davis’ minutes will increase again as the team continues preparing for its Oct. 22 regular-season opener against the San Antonio Spurs.

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