Luka Doncic’s first appearance in the 2022 Playoffs?
Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks face off in Game 4 of the series in the first round of the NBA Playoffs on 04/23/2022 starting at 10:30pm. The most recent clash in the Mormon State ended in a surprising win for the Texans, giving them a 2-1 lead in the series.
Utah Jazz – Statistics & current form
The Salt Lake City basketballers should sort themselves out quickly. Although the opponent has to do without Luka Doncic and thus their best player due to injury so far, the home side are trailing in the series.
The hosts seem to have taken the last match-up in particular lightly. They allowed ten steals to their opponents. The high number quickly makes it clear that Head Coach Quin Snyder’s selection lacked the necessary concentration for a play-off game.
However, the best offensive team of the regular season can at least continue to rely on Donovan Mitchell. “Spida” always scored at least 32 points on the side of the two-time runners-up in the three duels so far.
Moreover, despite the recent defeat, the home side will again rely on the home bonus: Jazz have lost only two of their last 14 games against the Mavs at home!
Dallas Mavericks – Statistics & current form
Head coach Jason Kidd and his team are hoping for a comeback from Luka Doncic regarding the next game. The Slovenian was the third-best scorer and fifth-best assister in the NBA after the regular season.
Based on these numbers, the 23-year-old’s exceptional play quickly becomes clear and with him on board, the Mavs would be a whole lot better. However, the two most recent victories have shown that they can do without him if need be.
This is first and foremost due to Jalen Brunson. The guard has stepped into the breach for Doncic with great success. The 25-year-old has averaged 32 points in the postseason! Only Donovan Mitchell from the opposition has scored better in the 2022 NBA Playoffs to date.
Utah Jazz – Dallas Mavericks Tip
The fact that Utah is trailing in the series against Dallas is not a credit to the home side. Rather, it points out that the fighting spirit is stronger in the guests so far. The Jazz are actually clearly superior to their opponent, who had to do without Luka Doncic, in terms of play.
For the showdown between the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks, however, the tip now calls for more than 30.5 points by Donovan Mitchell on the part of the home side.
In contrast to his team, the shooting guard has not shown any weakness in the playoffs so far. He exceeded the selected limit in points in all three games and “Spida” has increased his scoring value from the regular season by almost seven points.
This is mainly due to his long playing times. Mitchell has been on the court for around 40 minutes per game in the series so far! This is about 20 percent more compared to the regular season. It is obvious that Couch Snyder is counting on him in this decisive phase of the season.