Dallas • Derrick Favors was smiling, firing up 3-pointers at the end of shootaround. Jeremy Evans jumped over a chair on his way off the court at the American Airlines Center.
Favors had been dealing with a sore hip, an injury he sustained early against the Pistons on Jan. 17. Favors played in three of the next four games.
"It was sore the whole time," he said, "but the last two games I played, I just fought through the pain. But after those two games it just hurt too bad."
The Jazz have certainly missed their defensive anchor. Utah is 0-6 when Favors does not play.
After missing the last few games (three for Favors and two for Evans), the Utah Jazz forwards say they're feeling better and expect to play tonight against the Mavericks.
"If I had limitations, I'd probably sit out," said Evans, who took a hard fall on his tailbone against Golden State.
The Jazz and Mavs tip off at 6:30 p.m. MT.
"They're fresh," Jazz coach Ty Corbin said. "They look like they're excited to go and we're excited to have them back."
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Twitter: @tribjazz