Odom, Beaubois Lead Mavs Past Jazz

Dallas beats Utah 116-101

With three starters out, the Dallas Mavericks were searching for offense from other sources.

Reserve guard Roddy Beaubois and slumping Lamar Odom delivered.

Beaubois had a season-high 22 points and Odom added 19 points, his most since joining the Mavericks at the start of the season, to lead Dallas to a 116-101 victory over the Utah Jazz on Friday night.

Beaubois made his first start of the season, subbing for Delonte West, who was out with a strained right hamstring.

"Tonight was a good night," said Beaubois, who went 9 for 15 from the floor and also had seven assists, six rebounds and four blocked shots. "When they give you a good shot, you've got to be ready to shoot it. ... I'm just trying to be aggressive."

Odom has been struggling since his departure from the Los Angeles Lakers, entering the game averaging 7.7 points with and hitting 33 percent of his field goal attempts.

Making the transition from Phil Jackson's Triangle offense with the Lakers to a Dallas attack that takes more of a fastbreak approach has been a tough adjustment for Odom.

This time, Odom was more aggressive on offense, converting three 3-pointers and going 7 for 12 from the floor to help the Mavs to a season-high for points.

Odom was more eager to talk about his defense, however.

"It's not all about making shots," Odom said. "It's about making the right play, making stops, making defensive plays. Tonight I played a better all-around game."

Odom has been starting in place of the team's top scorer, Dirk Nowitzki, sidelined for a fourth straight game while he improves his conditioning and gets treatment for a sore right knee.

Nowitzki has been through multiple conditioning sessions each day and could be back for Sunday's home game against San Antonio.

"I'd think (on Saturday) we'll know more for sure where we're at," coach Rick Carlisle said of Nowitzki's status for Sunday.

Carlisle has said Nowitzki could be sidelined longer than the projected four games if he doesn't show enough progress.

Jason Terry contributed 18 points, Shawn Marion had 16 points and Brendan Haywood added 12 points and 12 rebounds for Dallas.

Paul Millsap's 20 points and Al Jefferson's 19 paced the Jazz, who've lost six in a row to the Mavericks and three of four overall.

Dallas starting point guard Jason Kidd left in the first quarter with a strained right calf and did not return.

Kidd, who missed four games earlier in the season with a back injury, went to the bench less then three minutes after the opening tip and headed for the locker room. He was soon ruled out for the rest of the night, with Beaubois taking over at the point.

Reserve Vince Carter returned for the Mavericks after missing five games with a sprained left foot. He chipped in with 12 points.

The Mavs surged to a 77-63 lead early in the third quarter on Terry's 3-pointer.

But Millsap scored nine points during his team's 13-4 run to narrow the deficit to 81-76 with 1:58 remaining in the third.

Dallas carried an 88-82 lead into the final quarter, then put the game away with a 17-7 run.

The spurt included consecutive 3-pointers by Odom and was capped by Marion's runner in the lane with 5:15 remaining for a 105-89 lead.

Dallas went 45 for 82 (55 percent) from the floor, 11 for 19 from beyond the arc. The Mavs shot 43 percent in their first 19 games.

"They shot the ball well," Utah coach Tyrone Corbin said. "They hadn't been shooting well. You've got to give them credit. They made the shots when they needed to and we didn't."

Beaubois scored 16 points in the first half -- going 7 for 9 from the field and hitting both 3-point tries -- to lead the Mavs to a 58-50 edge at the break.

Beaubois' previous season high was 17 points in a 94-91 victory at Utah on Jan. 19.

Carlisle said Beaubois was in the flow early on both ends of the court.

"I thought he played the point position as well as he's ever played it in terms of running the team, making reads," Carlisle said. "...He made important plays time and time again."

NOTES: G Raja Bell (sore right knee and back) and Jefferson (sore right ankle) had been questionable for the Jazz, but both started. ... Beaubois' career high is 40 points at Golden State on March 27, 2010 at Golden State. ... Dallas has won eight of nine at home since opening the season with consecutive losses.

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