The Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz close out Thursday’s four-game NBA slate in Salt Lake City.
The pregame narrative: Utah played last night and nearly knocked off the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, losing 129-125 in overtime. The Jazz are 5-point home underdogs playing on the second leg of a back-to-back.
Check out my Mavericks vs. Jazz SGP predictions for Jan. 8, featuring Cooper Flagg and Lauri Markkanen.
-> Join NorthStar Bets to start betting on the NBA
Mavericks vs. Jazz predictions
Parlay: Mavericks moneyline | Flagg over 6.5 rebounds | Markkanen under 2.5 threes (+295)
Mavericks moneyline (-190): Utah threw the kitchen sink at OKC and fell short, and now I expect an exhausted Jazz squad to get hammered by the defensively-minded Mavericks.
- Dallas ranks 10th in defensive rating while holding opponents to the seventh-lowest field-goal percentage in the NBA (45.9%).
- The Mavs have won eight of their last 12 games that Anthony Davis has started and finished, allowing an average of 115.3 PPG.
- That includes wins in their last two (vs. Rockets, at Kings), while allowing 202 total points.
-> Build your Mavericks vs. Jazz SGP at NorthStar Bets
I think Dallas has the makings of a dangerous team next year with Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II in the mix. The Mavs have been competitive without those two, and I trust Flagg and Davis to carry the load tonight.
Utah has lost five straight and nine of its last 11.
NBA SGP legs
Flagg over 6.5 rebounds (-150): Speaking of Flagg, the 2025 No. 1 pick has been very reliable as a rebounder in his last 10 games:
- 6.9 rebounds per game
- 6+ rebounds nine times
- 7+ rebounds five times
Night in and night out, he’s threatening to clear this number.
The Jazz are missing big man Walker Kessler and might be without Jusuf Nurkic (toe), who’s questionable after playing 33 minutes yesterday.
-> Back Rookie of the Year frontrunner Cooper Flagg on Thursday
Again, fatigue should play a role in Utah’s tenacity on the glass. This is a good spot for Flagg to keep rolling.
Markkanen under 2.5 threes (-136): The biggest reason why Dallas can cause fits defensively is its perimeter defence.
The Mavericks allow the second-fewest 3s per game (11.7) while holding opponents to the lowest 3-point percentage (33.2%).
Markkanen is a big 3-point shooter, averaging 8.0 attempts per game. He’s cleared this number in consecutive games, but is 5-10 against it in his last 15 contests.
That includes a matchup against Dallas, where he went 1-for-6 from deep.
Mavericks vs. Jazz SGP made at 3:45 p.m. ET on Jan. 8, 2026.
-> Sign up to NorthStar Bets today!
Looking to get started? Sign up here.
Avery joined NorthStar Gaming as an intern in 2022 before stepping into a full-time role soon after. He loves betting on and analyzing golf — mainly because it’s easier than actually playing — but is a fan of all sports, from the NFL to the UFC.