Utah Jazz vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction and Match Preview - April 5th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
The rampant Utah Jazz have set off on a two-game road trip as they take on the in-form Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center on Monday.
The Jazz emerged as the winners in the previous two encounters between the two sides.
Quin Snyder's side head into this matchup on the back of a nine-game winning run, beating the Orlando Magic 137-91 in their last outing.
The Dallas Mavericks, too, come into this contest on the back of a streak, having won their last four games on the bounce. They beat the Washington Wizards 109-87 in their last match.
Match Details
Fixture: Utah Jazz vs Mavericks | NBA Season 2020-22.
Date & Time: Monday, April 5, 2021; 7:00 PM ET (Tuesday, April 6th, 4:30 AM IST).
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX.
Utah Jazz Preview
The Utah Jazz were sensational in the first half of the campaign and have managed to stay that way in the second half as well.
49 games into the season, they still have the best overall record at 38-11 as they continue to dominate teams around the league.
They currently have the longest win-streak in the league at nine and are in search of a 10th consecutive victory as they prepare to face the Dallas Mavericks next.
In their last game, the Utah Jazz drained 18 three-pointers in the first half to set a new NBA record. Donovan Mitchell had 22 points on the night, while five other players scored in double digits en route to a crushing win over the Magic.
Key Player - Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell has been in red-hot form for the Utah Jazz and has been instrumental in their success post the All-Star break, helping the Jazz achieve their best net rating (13.2) during that stretch.
He is averaging 29.7 points, 5.4 assists and 1.4 steals in his last 10 appearances, shooting at a 50-40-90 clip.
Mitchell will once again be a key player for Quin Snyder in the next game as he will be going up against Luka Doncic, who has been in terrific form as well.
If Mitchell can keep Luka quiet for most of the game, the Utah Jazz could be on their way to their 10th consecutive win, as the Slovenian is key to the Dallas Mavericks' hopes of winning this game.
Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Mike Conley l Shooting Guard - Luka Doncic l Small Forward - Bojan Bogdanovic l Power Forward - Royce O'Neale l Center - Rudy Gobert.
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks have improved quite a lot post the All-Star break, following their lack of consistent displays at the start of the season.
They are tied for the third-best win/loss record during that stretch at 9-5, are fourth in offensive rating (117.3) and seventh in defensive rating (108.4).
Star man Luka Doncic top-scored with 26 points in the last game, while also grabbing eight rebounds and providing six assists to lead his side to their fourth consecutive win.
The Dallas Mavericks were in full control of the game as they recorded just seven turnovers throughout the four quarters.
Key Player - Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic has been unstoppable in his last eight appearances, amassing 30.5 points, 7.6 assists and 6.9 rebounds per game during that period.
The Dallas Mavericks have won 12 of the last 14 games in which Doncic has featured for them, beating the likes of the Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets, LA Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers during that stretch.
This factor clearly indicates that Luka will be a key player for the Mavericks in this game due to his ability to lead them to wins over top sides in the league. However, the Utah Jazz are the best of them all.
It will take a career-night-like performance from Doncic for the Dallas Mavericks to put a halt to the Utah Jazz's win streak.
Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Luka Doncic l Shooting Guard - Josh Richardson l Small Forward - Dorian Finney-Smith l Power Forward - Nicollo Melli l Center - Kristaps Porzingis.
Jazz vs Mavericks Prediction
The Utah Jazz will be the overwhelming favorites to win this tie as they are an in-form team and also have better squad depth compared to the Dallas Mavericks.
However, this isn't the first time the Mavericks might enter a contest shorthanded, which could make things interesting.
Overall, this seems like a great matchup with two of the best offensive teams in the league going head-to-head.
Where to watch Jazz vs Mavericks?
The game between the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks will be televised locally on Bally Sports Southwest and AT&T Sportsnet - Rocky Mountain. The match can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
Also read: Player In Focus: Rudy Gobert and his journey so far with the Utah Jazz | NBA Season 2020-21