Mavericks-Jazz Preview
The Dallas Mavericks entered Sunday in control of their destiny for the
Western Conference's No. 5 seed. Now a loss Monday night could drop them all
the way into eighth - and still not secure of getting in.
在今天的比賽之前，達拉斯小牛有希望衝擊西區第五的位置，但是他們輸了，
若是明天小牛沒有辦法取勝，他們將跌到西區第八，且無法確保進入季後賽。
The Mavericks and Utah Jazz are separated by one game heading into a crucial
meeting in Salt Lake City with plenty on the line for both.
小牛明天要做客挑戰猶他爵士，兩隊目前只有一場勝差，且都在季後賽的邊緣。
Dallas (41-39) saw its second six-game win streak end while missing a chance
to clinch a berth with Sunday's 98-91 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. The
Mavericks fell one game behind sixth-place Memphis and 1 1/2 behind
fifth-place Portland.
41勝39敗的小牛在今天客場以91-98敗給洛杉磯快艇之後中止六連勝，現在他們
落後第六的曼斐斯灰熊一場，落後第五的波特蘭拓荒者一場半。
They no doubt would like to finish fifth or sixth to avoid powerhouses Golden
State and San Antonio in the first round. Utah (40-40) will gladly take a
matchup with either of those teams since its postseason fate is far from
secure.
小牛勢必會希望搶到西區第五或第六，以避免在第一輪就碰上金州勇士或是聖
安東尼奧馬刺，爵士則是希望能先確保季後賽的一席之地。
The Jazz lead Houston by one game for the eighth and final spot, but the
Rockets have the tiebreaker and matchups left with lowly Minnesota and
Sacramento.
爵士領先第九的休士頓火箭一場，暫居第八，但是火箭擁有tiebreaker的優勢，
且對手是西區後段班的明尼蘇達灰狼與沙加緬度國王。
Utah will move into the seventh seed with a victory Monday since it has split
its first two meetings with Dallas with this one determining the tiebreaker.
爵士如果在明天贏球，就能超越小牛登上第七，因為兩隊前兩次交手各勝一場，
因此明天的比賽將會決定tiebreaker。
"I don't have to talk a whole lot about it," coach Quin Snyder said of the
importance of Monday. "It speaks for itself."
爵士教練Quin Snyder說："我不用多談這場比賽的重要性，大家都心知肚明。"
The Mavericks played Sunday without J.J. Barea, who is out with a right groin
strain. Deron Williams returned from an eight-game absence due to a left
abdominal strain and had 15 points in 28 minutes.
小牛後衛J.J. Barea因為右側鼠蹊部拉傷缺席今天的比賽，Deron Williams從
八場的缺席後歸隊，今天出賽28分鐘拿下15分。
"He was aggressive, especially in the first half," forward Dirk Nowitzki
said. "I liked how he pushed it on the break and tried to get into the lane
and collapse the defense. When a guy comes back from injury you look how he
moves, and I thought he looked great."
前鋒Dirk Nowitzki說："他上半場打得很積極，他不斷的切入比希望製造犯規，
突破對手的防守，雖然他剛從傷兵名單歸隊，但他的狀況似乎不錯。"
Williams will play at Utah for the fourth time since he was traded to New
Jersey in 2010-11. He averaged 18.7 points and 7.7 assists while shooting
34.1 percent in the first three games back, getting booed loudly on each
occasion.
Williams將要第四次在客場挑戰爵士隊，他在2010-11被交易到了紐澤西籃網隊，
前三次作客猶他的比賽他平均攻下18.7分7.7助攻，命中率34.1%，且飽受噓聲。
Jazz forward Derrick Favors, acquired in the trade for Williams, is uncertain
after he was a late scratch because of right knee soreness for Sunday's
100-84 victory at Denver. Rookie Trey Lyles, who didn't find out he was
starting in Favors' place until moments before the opening tip, scored a
season-high 22 points.
爵士在那筆交易中得到的Derrick Favors，今天在賽前因為右膝痠痛臨時無法
出賽，新秀Trey Lyles直到賽前才發現他是先發球員，但攻下生涯最高的22分
並帶領爵士以100-84在客場擊敗丹佛金塊。
"That's the thing about this team. It's been happening all year," Snyder
said. "Individually, we've got guys that have depth of character. And then
when you put them together collectively, they've been pulling together all
year. It was good to see."
Snyder說："這就是我們這支球隊的特性，整年都是這樣，我們每個人都有不
同的特質，但當全隊團結在一起時，就打出了很好的一季，這讓我很高興。"
Gordon Hayward also scored 22 and Rudy Gobert finished with 16 points, 14
rebounds and six blocked shots.
Gordon Hayward也攻下22分，Rudy Gobert拿下16分14籃板6火鍋。
It'll be hard for Monday's game to match the drama from the last time these
teams met. Hayward hit a winning jumper at the overtime buzzer in a 121-119
victory Feb. 9, with Rodney Hood tying the game with a 3-pointer in the
closing seconds of regulation en route to a 29-point performance.
明天的比賽勢必會像兩隊前一次的交手一樣精彩可期，Hayward在延長賽結束
的槍響同時投進致勝球才幫助爵士在客場以121-119獲勝，而第四節最後爵士
也是靠著後衛Rodney Hood投進追平三分彈，他那場比賽得到29分。
Williams had 23 points and eight assists in the Mavs' 102-93 win over Utah on
Nov. 20. The first two meetings were both in Dallas.
Williams在本季首度面對爵士時攻下23分8助攻，幫助小牛在主場以102-93取勝。
沒什麼好說的 一定要贏啊!!
Let's Go Mavs!!