by Ben Perks
Despite losing Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round series, Vegas oddsmakers have made the Dallas Mavericks the favorites to win Game 5 against the Utah Jazz on April 25.
The Jazz pulled off a last-minute win to bounce back from two consecutive losses against the Mavericks in their last meeting. Utah fans will now be hoping they can build on this momentum at the American Airlines center on Monday night.
View up-to-date betting lines and info for this crucial playoff clash.
Mavericks vs. Jazz: Betting Info
- No. 5 Dallas Mavericks (54-32/30-13 at home) had won six of their previous seven games before Game 4
- Sportsbooks have Utah as +1400 longshots to win the Western Conference – just behind Dallas at +1100
- The Utah Jazz are 17-25-1 ATS (against the spread) on the road
Jazz Hold on to Win Game 4
The No. 4-seed Jazz (51-35/21-22 on the road) leveled the series after edging the Mavericks 100-99 on Saturday at home in Game 4. Rudy Gobert sent the crowd wild after sinking Donovan Mitchell’s pass with just 11 seconds on the clock. Spencer Dinwiddie nearly snatched it at the death for the Mavericks with a shot from outside the arc, but his attempt dropped just short.
…the Jazz only made 26 out of their 42 attempts (61.9%).
Before this dramatic ending, Luka Doncic had put Dallas in front with 40 seconds remaining. Mitchell then drew the Jazz within a point with a three-point play, and Utah got the ball back when Dwight Powell missed two three-pointers with 19 seconds to go.
Jordan Clarkson scored 25 points off the bench to lead the Jazz, resulting in Utah’s reserves outscoring Dallas’ bench 35-13.
Mitchell ended the matchup with 23 points, seven assists, and six rebounds, but he should have done better: he only scored three of his 14 shots from the field over the last three quarters after going 4 for 7 in the opening period.
Gobert bagged 15 rebounds and 17 points – including ten off the offensive glass. Yet the Frenchman was just 9 of 18 from the foul line. As the Jazz only made 26 out of their 42 attempts (61.9%), NBA betting sites having them as underdogs on the moneyline for their next game is no surprise.
The NBA handed Gobert a $25,000 fine for using foul language in a post-game TV interview. However, it wasn’t the first time that the Jazz player has been the talk of social media this year: many have tweeted or posted on Instagram that he and Mitchell are feuding.
If true, this would explain why Mitchell only passes to Gobert twice a game on average. However, both players dismissed the rumors as untrue following the game.
Doncic to the Rescue?
After missing the first three games due to a left calf strain, Doncic performed well in Game 4. The Serb registered 30 points, ten rebounds, and four assists in 33:44. Expect him to make an even better contribution in Game 5.
Jalen Brunson was the second most dangerous man for Dallas, scoring 23 points. Reggie Bullock and Dorian Finney-Smith chipped in with 11 points.
Despite rallying from a 16-point deficit in the second quarter to lead 81-78 by the end of the third period, the Mavericks managed just 18 points in the fourth. Dinwiddie missing a game-winner at the buzzer capped off a frustrating game for the player. The 29-year-old only scored five points in 23:50 minutes of reserve action.
As every matchup of the series has been extremely close (only single digits have decided the games), the Mavericks will hope that Doncic can give them the edge in Game 5.
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Ben is a sports journalist & part-time trader with a passion for finding +EV bets. Ben lives in Madrid, Spain where he enjoys the live poker scene, and sunshine where he covers UFC, MLB, NHL, NBA, as well as tennis betting.
