DALLAS (Interstat) — Cooper Flagg scored 21 points and Kyrie Irving added 14 after a sluggish first half for both stars as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Utah Jazz 112-100 in an NBA Cup game Friday. P.J. Washington scored 22 of his season-high 26 points in the first half, which ended in a 57-all tie, setting the stage for Flagg and Irving to take over after the break. Flagg scored 17 in the second half, while Irving had all but two of his points after halftime after starting 1 of 11 from the field. Flagg finished with 10 rebounds and seven assists, and Dallas improved to 5-4. Utah dropped to 1-8 and has lost six straight. Utah’s only win this season came against New Orleans.

Morez Johnson gave Dallas a major lift inside with 13 points and 17 rebounds. Santi Aldama added eight points and nine rebounds, Walter Clayton scored 12 points and Washington finished with six rebounds. Dallas survived Utah’s perimeter shooting by controlling the free-throw line and the offensive glass. The Mavericks made 25 of 31 free throws, while Utah made 13 of 14. Dallas held a 21-8 advantage in offensive rebounds. Utah made 15 of 39 3-point attempts, while Dallas made 9 of 32. Dallas shot 39 of 93 from the floor, and Utah shot 36 of 82.

Lauri Markkanen led Utah with 24 points and eight rebounds. Darryn Peterson scored 21 points and blocked three shots. Keyonte George added 16 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Ace Bailey scored 12 points, and Jaxson Hayes had eight points, six rebounds and three assists. Utah committed 21 turnovers, and Dallas committed 15. Dallas had 11 assists to Utah’s 7, and Dallas had eight blocks to Utah’s seven. Utah was whistled for 22 fouls to Dallas’ 19. The Mavericks scored 112 points on 102 possessions for an offensive rating of 110.1. Utah scored 100 points on 102 possessions for an offensive rating of 98.4. Attendance at American Airlines Center in Dallas was 19,568.

The first half was a back-and-forth affair. Markkanen opened the scoring with a 26-foot running jumper. Washington answered with a 3-pointer, Flagg made a pullup jump shot, and Daniel Gafford dunked as Dallas moved ahead. Utah used 3-pointers from Markkanen and Josh Okogie to build an early edge, but Dallas kept answering. Utah led 23-19 after Okogie’s 3-pointer, but Dallas tied it at 26 on Naji Marshall’s running layup. Utah built a 40-32 lead in the second quarter after Bailey’s pullup jump shot. Dallas rallied with 3-pointers from Washington and drives from Clayton. George closed the half with two driving layups to make it 57-all. Flagg’s scoring was quiet before halftime, but he stayed involved as a rebounder and passer. Johnson’s work on the offensive glass also gave Dallas extra possessions.

The most important stretch came in the third quarter. Flagg’s 3-pointer with 10:02 remaining gave Dallas a 62-60 lead. Utah tied it at 68 on Markkanen’s 3-pointer, and Bailey’s dunk gave Utah its last lead at 70-68. Dallas then closed the period on a 21-6 run. Flagg and Irving keyed the burst. Flagg made free throws and a dunk, and Irving connected on pullup jumpers as the Mavericks pulled away. Washington also hit a 3-pointer during the run, and Johnson finished inside. By the end of the third, Dallas led 89-76. The run changed the game’s shape. Utah had stayed close for two and a half quarters, but Dallas’ stars finally found rhythm after halftime. Flagg scored 17 after the break, and Irving’s second-half scoring helped Dallas turn a tie into a double-digit cushion.

Utah tried to rally in the fourth. Peterson made a 25-foot 3-pointer and a running jump shot, then added free throws. Markkanen hit a 25-foot 3-pointer to keep the Jazz within striking distance. Peterson made two free throws with 7:42 left to cut Dallas’ lead to 100-88. But Dallas had answers. Washington hit a 3-pointer with 5:21 remaining, Flagg made a turnaround jump shot, and Naji Marshall finished a running dunk to push the lead back to 15. The Jazz cut the deficit to 12 on George’s free throws and a driving layup, but Dallas closed it out at the free-throw line. Clayton made free throws in the final minutes, and Isaiah Collier’s driving layup at the buzzer set the final score.

Flagg’s all-around line stood out. He had 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in 33 minutes. Johnson’s 17 rebounds gave Dallas a physical presence, and Washington’s 26 points provided the early offense. For Utah, Markkanen scored 24 points in 34 minutes, Peterson had 21 points and three blocks in 30 minutes, and George finished with 16 points and nine assists in 32 minutes. Dallas outscored Utah 55-43 after halftime. Flagg and Irving combined for 35 points. The loss extended Utah’s recent skid to six straight games. Dallas snapped a two-game losing streak and moved above .500. The Mavericks had dropped a one-point decision at San Antonio and a home game to Sacramento before Friday’s win.

Flagg entered the game after scoring 19 points at San Antonio, 17 against Sacramento, 33 against Houston and 26 against Oklahoma City in his previous four games. Dallas had also lost a one-point game at San Antonio before falling to Sacramento. Utah’s recent losses included an overtime defeat at New Orleans and a road loss at San Antonio. Utah committed 21 turnovers, and Dallas took advantage with 21 offensive rebounds, repeatedly extending possessions. Johnson’s 17 rebounds included several tip shots and putbacks.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Dallas 113, Utah 107. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Dallas with an 87.2 percent probability to win. Dallas had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 6.5. The total score of 212 went over the over-under line of 225.5.