Nba playoff results: Dallas beats Utah in game-5 with super Doncic

He should be recovering from a left calf strain that was about to cost him the series. Instead Luka Doncic is magical, dominant, monstrous. He is behind Dallas’ triumph over Utah in Game-5, an unquestioned 102-77 that brings the Mavs 3-2 ahead, to a win since their first playoff series triumph since 2011.

And that leads the Jazz to a defeat from another disappointment in the postseason, one that would probably trigger a revolution that risks starting with Donovan Mitchell, a star who not only missed the game in Game-5 (9 points) but who risks not to be there on Thursday in race-6 due to an injury to his left adductor. “I’ll be there, I’m not holding back,” he promises, but it will be an MRI in the next few hours to clarify the identity of his problem. Dallas, on the other hand, has perfectly clear the secret of his success: Luka Doncic.

luka is magic

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“It seems he never stopped,” says the Slovenian’s coach Kidd. Instead Luka missed the first three games of this series and then made up for it with interests. His third period of race-5 is a sort of Sistine Chapel, with Doncic novello Michelangelo painting a quarter of 19 points, the same as all Jazz. Impossible for the opponents to stop him, even if Bojan Bogdanovic practically chases him even when he is sitting on the bench. But Luka always finds a way to beat Utah, or to prime his teammates when he has a wall in front of him. “It’s not that we haven’t tried, it’s thanks to him” are the compliments of Quin Snyder, the opposing coach. Dallas dominated because it took more than just the show of its phenomenon. Jalen Brunson with 24 points continues to confirm that this is his series, Dorian Finney-Smith defending over Mitchell is painting his masterpiece. Defense is the secret of this team’s success: coach Kidd gave it a battle identity and everyone, including Doncic, does their part. “Our defense was incredible, we have to play like that in Game 6 to end the series,” said Doncic.

jazz disaster

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Mitchell’s condition isn’t Utah’s only problem. “Our strength has always been versatility, having different weapons in attack – explains coach Snyder in a hoarse voice -: we must be able to use them. We must play much better in attack, play for each other rather than try it alone. to make a difference “. The Jazz in game-5 missed the triples (3/30), but also the assists (just 12, one less than the turnovers). Dallas made a defensive masterpiece, but Utah’s attack is too stagnant. Especially if Mitchell isn’t spinning. Well before the injury, also thanks to Finney-Smith’s defense to which he himself gives credit, Spida was out of the game, with a horrible 4/15 shooting part of the problems of the Jazz attack. The least worst were Jordan Clarkson (20 points off the bench) and Rudy Gobert (17 points and 11 rebounds), who however failed to be a factor in defense, his primary task. Mike Conley still badly, 4 points and 5 assists with 1/6 shooting. The most worrying thing for coach Snyder is that the team seems to have given up from a mental point of view: to return to Dallas to play Game-7 it will take more, much more.

the match

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Dallas takes control of the match as Doncic and Brunson level up in the second quarter, sharing 18 points equally, as much as Utah. Finney-Smith (10 points in the period) makes 52-32 Mavs with 45 ”from the break, where the advantage of the hosts is 52-36. The third quarter is the Luka Doncic Show, 19 points of pure magic that push Dallas up to 79-46 with 3’39 ”to play. The match would have actually ended there, were it not for the brawl that in the middle of the fourth period leads to the expulsion of Whiteside and Bullock and the injury of Mitchell that terrifies Utah thinking about game-6. The one in which the Mavs will play for their first win in a playoff series since 2011. And the Jazz to avoid a defeat that would trigger a revolution.

Dallas: Doncic 33 (8/12 from two, 3/10 from three, 8/12 free throws), Brunson 24, Finney-Smith 13. Rebounds: Doncic 13. Assists: Doncic 5.

Utah: Clarkson 20 (9/11, 0/4, 2/2 tl), Gobert 17, Mitchell 9. Rimbalzi: Gobert 11. Assist: Conley 5.