When Utah hosted Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas night, the game was being billed as a battle between arguably the best team in the league in the Utah Jazz taking on arguably the best player in the league in Doncic.
Unfortunately, that never came to fruition as Doncic missed the game due to health and safety protocols — setting the stage for what would leave the three remaining meetings between the teams always seeking more.
In the four games between the two teams this season, not one of them featured both teams fully stocked. Whether due to injuries or more protocols, each game left a lot to be desired and can’t be used as a measuring stick before the first round of the NBA playoffs begin.
No. 4 Utah tips off the 2022 NBA playoffs when it faces No. 5 Dallas on Saturday — with tipoff set for 11 a.m. MST on ESPN.
Round 1 matchup set
hi, @dallasmavs#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/UyYwx7IaPl
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) April 11, 2022
For the Jazz, they aren’t putting any stock into what took place during the regular season — whether it came against the Mavericks or not. For the veteran team, they know that the playoffs begin an entirely different season, one the team is exceptionally equipped for given their trials and tribulations suffered this year.
“This year, I feel like we’re different. I feel like we are more mature. …,” Rudy Gobert said. “I think all those challenges that we faced really made us better and prepared us better for what’s coming. … I’m just grateful and excited to have that opportunity, and we’re going to be ready.”
Utah’s struggles in the postseason have been well documented over the past two years, each time coming up short of what many perceived their expectations to be. But taking a deeper dive into what was going on, it’s apparent that injuries were the primary factors in Utah’s losses.
| @MarcJSpears has a playoff prediction: NO SWEEPS #RoundballRoundup
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) April 15, 2022
Two years ago, in the bubble, the Jazz were without starting forward Bojan Bogdanovic, the team’s second-leading scorer and somebody capable of winning a game or two on his own. His shooting spaces the floor and allows Utah’s guards to get to the rim with ease, where they either finish or find Gobert for a dunk.
Last season, the outside voices got loud as the Jazz were unable to capitalize after taking a 2-0 series lead over the LA Clippers, falling 4-2. But starting guards Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley were severely hampered with lower-body injuries, eventually leading to the loss.
That’s what makes this postseason so exciting for the Jazz — they’re healthy and are entering with no expectations.
“We haven’t been healthy, but we’re healthy now,” head coach Quin Snyder said. “Hopefully that stays consistent, but I know we’ve got a team that’s been looking forward to this.”
“I think for us to go into the playoff series knowing that we have most of our guys healthy, especially guys who have been in the rotation consistently, that’s a win for us,” Conley added. “We understand that.”
T-minus 44 hours (or so)
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) April 14, 2022
Unfortunately, Saturday’s showdown won’t feature a fully healthy Mavericks team. Reports have circulated that Doncic will miss the game after suffering a calf strain on Sunday in the season finale. While the Mavericks have been mum about the situation, head coach Jason Kidd said the team is preparing for both scenarios.
“We’ll prepare with him, and then we’ll also prepare without him,” Kidd said earlier this week. “Just like with any injury that we’ve had all season, we’ll see how his body feels each day. We all hope he’s ready to go for Game 1, but if he’s not, we’ll move forward without him.”
| Locked in on Dallas #PracticeInterviews | @ZionsBank
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) April 15, 2022
STATS
Utah (49-33, 20-21 away / No. 5 Western Conference)
Offense
*113.6 Points Per Game (No. 7 in NBA)
*116.2 Offensive Rating (No. 1 in NBA)
Defense
*107.6 Points Per Game (No. 10 in NBA)
*110.0 Defensive Rating (No. 10 in NBA)
*Donovan Mitchell: 25.9 points / 5.3 assists / 4.2 rebounds / 1.5 steals
*Rudy Gobert: 15.6 points / 14.7 rebounds / 2.1 blocks / 71.3% shooting
*Bojan Bogdanovic: 18.1 points / 4.3 rebounds / 38.7% 3P-shooting
*Jordan Clarkson: 16.0 points / 3.5 rebonds / 2.5 assists
Dallas (52-30, 29-12 home / No. 4 Western Conference)
Offense
*108.0 Points Per Game (No. 24 in NBA)
*112.5 Offensive Rating (No. 14 in NBA)
Defense
*104.7 Points Per Game (No. 2 in NBA)
*109.1 Defensive Rating (No. 7 in NBA)
*Luka Doncic: 28.4 points / 9.1 rebounds / 8.7 assists / 35.3% 3P-shooting
*Jalen Brunson: 16.3 points / 4.8 assists / 37.3% 3P-shooting
*Spencer Dinwiddie: 15.8 points / 3.9 assists / 40.4% 3P-shooting
*Dorian Finney-Smith: 11.0 points / 4.7 rebounds / 39.5% 3P-shooting
MATCHUP TO WATCH
*Battle of the Backcourts
— With Doncic set to be sidelined in the series opener, Utah has been given a phenomenal opportunity to try and steal a game or two on the road — and that’s why Mitchell and Conley’s performances will be watched closely. If they can raise their level of play for the postseason — something the both of them did last year — the Jazz should be able to take advantage of the opportunity and emerge victorious in game one.
INJURY REPORT
Utah
OUT — Trent Forrest (left midfoot sprain)
OUT — Udoka Azubuike (right ankle surgery)
Dallas
DOUBTFUL — Luka Doncic (left calf strain)
OUT — Tim Hardaway Jr. (left foot surgery)
OUT — Frank Ntilikina (illness recovery)
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Time: 11:00 a.m. MST
Location: American Airlines Arena / Dallas, TX
TV: ESPN / AT&T SportsNet
Radio: 1280 The Zone
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