3 keys to the Utah Jazz’s 25-point Game 5 loss to the Dallas Mavericks
The Jazz were handled from start to finish by the Mavericks and now trail the best-of-seven first round series 3-2
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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives around Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. Tony Gutierrez, AP
Trent Wood is a sports writer for the Deseret News.
The Utah Jazz are on the brink of elimination.
The Jazz lost convincingly to the Dallas Mavericks Monday night in Dallas, Texas, 102-77, falling behind in the best-of-seven first round Western Conference series 3-2.
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Dallas Mavericks center Dwight Powell (7) scores over Utah Jazz forward Royce O'Neale, left, during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) looks to shoot past Utah Jazz forward Royce O'Neale (23) during the half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives around Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks forward Reggie Bullock (25) runs past Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, left standing, after he scored against the Utah Jazz in the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series between the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots against the Utah Jazz during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd watches from the sidelines during the fist half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) shoots over Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder signals to his players during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) drives to the basket past Utah Jazz center Hassan Whiteside, rear, during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) works to ball past Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) is pressures by Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) is pressured by Utah Jazz center Hassan Whiteside (21) and forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie (26) drives to the basket past Utah Jazz forward Danuel House Jr., left, and center Rudy Gobert (27) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie, left, drives against Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, right, during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) drives to the basket against Utah Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket against Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, right, during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket against Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, right, during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket against Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, right, during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) and guard Mike Conley (11) stand on the court during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks center Dwight Powell (7) pulls down a rebound over Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, left, during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) signals to teammates during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, center, struggle with Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, left, and forward Dorian Finney-Smith, right for control of the ball during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
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Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) celebrates after scoring against the Utah Jazz during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Monday, April 25, 2022, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) | Tony Gutierrez, AP
Here are three keys to the Jazz’s Game 5 loss to the Mavericks:
Abysmal shooting
There is no other way to spin it, the Jazz shot about as poorly as possible. Credit can be given to the Mavericks defense, but even the best defense in the NBA — Dallas is not it — wouldn’t have been wholly responsible for the Jazz’s shooting woes.
In the first half alone, Utah scored just 36 total points, shot 14 of 40 from the field (35%) and 2 of 17 from 3-point range (11.8%).
Only Jordan Clarkson, Rudy Gobert and Danuel House shot better than 33% from the field in the first half.
Things did not improve much, if at all, in the second half, and the Jazz closed the game having shot 37% from the field and 10% from behind the arc.
Donovan Mitchell, the Jazz’s All-Star and possible All-NBA guard, had one of the worst showings of his NBA career, making just 4 of 14 shots, before exiting late with an apparent leg injury.
About the only bright spot for the Jazz was Clarkson. The reserve guard scored a game-high 20 points, making 9 of 15 shot attempts.
One of the key talking points entering the series was the Jazz’s purported size advantage. With Rudy Gobert and Hassan Whiteside, Utah was supposed to be the larger and more effective team in the paint, meaning more rebounds among other things.
On Monday, though, Dallas out-rebounded Utah 49 to 40. Many of those rebounds were of the offensive variety — the Mavericks had 11 offensive boards — and led directly to second chance points.
Luka Doncic is back
The Mavericks’ star guard missed the first three games of the series but returned in Game 4 to limited effect.
He was not limited at all in Game 5, looking like the Doncic the NBA has grown comfortable seeing in his time in the league.
Doncic scored a game-high 33 points, shooting 11 for 22 from the field and 3 for 10 from 3-point range. He also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds and handed out five assists, controlling the game throughout his 33 minutes.
