No Luka Doncic for Mavs, but ex-Jazzman Trey Burke scores 20 in relief role

SALT LAKE CITY — Jazz fans looking forward to seeing the likely NBA Rookie of the Year, Luka Doncic, were disappointed as he sat out Saturday night for Dallas for the second straight game because of a sore ankle.

Before the game, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle was brief in his comments about Doncic, saying he would not play and that his status was "day-to-day."

Doncic has started 55 of the Mavs' 59 games this year and is averaging 20.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists on 43 percent shooting.

Also missing the game was second-year forward Maxi Kleber, who averages 6.5 points and 4.0 rebound per game, who was back at the hotel with digestive issues, according to Carlisle.

His place in the starting lineup was taken by veteran star Dirk Nowitzki, who made his first start of the season and scored 15 points on 6-of-14 shooting.

AP

Dallas Mavericks guard Trey Burke (23) shoots as Utah Jazz guard Ricky Rubio (3) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

MORE TIME FOR EX-JAZZMEN: With Doncic out, that gave two former Jazz guards a chance for extra minutes Saturday night.

Trey Burke, who averaged 12.1 points from 2013-16 when he played for the Jazz, was acquired from the New York Knicks last month in the trade that included Kristaps Porzingis. After leaving the Jazz, Burke landed in Washington in 2016 and, after one season there, played parts of two seasons with the Knicks before the trade to Dallas.

Carlisle praised Burke in his pregame comments, saying that Burke was "good" and "aggressive" the night before in a Dallas loss when he scored 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting.

Against Utah, Burke played well and finished with 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting and had a team-high seven rebounds.

Also playing for 15 minutes was Devin Harris, who played for the Jazz in 2010-12 and is in his third stint with the Mavericks, but he went scoreless on the night.

Harris started his career in Dallas in 2004 and was traded to New Jersey in 2008. He came to the Jazz with Derrick Favors in the Deron Williams trade in 2011 and then went to Atlanta in 2012. After one season there, he went back to Dallas, where he played for most of four seasons before being traded to Denver for 27 games last season. Then before this season, he re-signed with the Mavericks.

JAZZ NOTES: After getting 10 days off for the All-Star break before returning for two games, the Jazz get three days off before their next game against the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday night at Vivint Arena . . . The Jazz and Mavericks entered the game with reverse records of 32-26 and 26-32, respectively. On Jan. 1, the two teams were tied in the standings, two games under .500 . . . The Jazz and Mavericks played three times in the first month of the season with Utah winning twice, 113-104 at Dallas and 117-102 at home, while the Mavs won a blowout 118-68 game in Dallas on Nov. 14 . . . The Jazz were only missing Dante Exum, who has been out for the past month with an injured ankle and was ruled out for at least two more weeks after being re-evaluated by doctors on Friday.

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