The Utah Jazz were all too acquainted with the strategy the Dallas Mavericks utilised to win Game 2 of the series 110-104 on Monday.
The Mavs started the game with a five-out offence without injured star Luka Doncic, taking advantage of the Jazz’s porous perimeter defence to get easy looks from deep. After losing Kawhi Leonard to an ACL injury, the Los Angeles Clippers went on a four-game winning streak that ultimately ended the season for the Utah Jazz in the second round.
Rudy Gobert, centre for the Jazz, stated, “At least it’s Game 2.” “This is not the decisive Game 6 of the championship series. There’s plenty of time to study the tape and make changes so that we can all improve upon our performance.”
Utah Needs To Solve The Problems Caused By The Dallas Mavericks
The Jazz have a number of issues that need fixing, but one of the most pressing is finding a way to defend Dallas Mavericks point guard Jalen Brunson. In a playoff game, he scored 41 points and dished out five assists for a double-double, becoming him the first player in team history to do so.
Brunson and guard Spencer Dinwiddie were instrumental in the Dallas Mavericks shattering their own playoff record by hitting 22 three-point shots on 47 tries. Whenever Gobert tried to guard the basket by retreating into the paint, the resulting kick-out passes often found open 3-point shooters. Maxi Kleber, the Mavs’ backup centre, benefited the most. He scored 25 points and made 8 of 11 3-point attempts.
The Mavericks have the most uncontested three-pointers made (17) in the last 10 playoff rounds, according analysis by ESPN Stats & Information. Seven of Kleber’s eight 3-pointers went in, giving the slumping shooter a possibly game-changing performance in the series.
Every time I had a clear shot, I took it,” Kleber said. “We broke down their defensive strategy and identified their primary targeting areas. The ability to fire freely and quickly is essential.”
