Three Adjustments Mavs Need For Game 5 vs. Jazz
Coming off a 100-99 loss in Game 4, the Dallas Mavericks seek to bounce back Monday night against the Utah Jazz in Game 5.
The outcome of the series will likely be significantly impacted by what happens at American Airlines Center. If the Mavericks win, they return to Salt Lake City for Game 6 with a 3-2 lead and a chance to close out the series. Game 7 is back in Dallas if necessary.
With a loss in Game 5, the Mavericks would have to win two straight games to avoid elimination.
Here are three keys for the Mavericks going into Game 5:
Spencer Dinwiddie Must Find Rhythm
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A lot of the success for the Mavs late in the season had to do with their three-headed guard attack. In this series, Jalen Brunson has carried the offense while Luka Doncic was sidelined until Game 4, with Spencer Dinwiddie not as effective.
After being traded to Dallas, Dinwiddie averaged 15.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 23 regular season appearances. The crucial element to those numbers was his efficiency with that volume. His output of 1.134 points per possession (92nd percentile) ranked fifth among all guards with at least 300 possessions.
That efficiency has plummeted against Utah. His output of 0.744 points per possession in the playoffs ranks ahead of only Mike Conley and Trae Young when compared to the 50 players with at least 50 possessions.
Dinwiddie has sorely struggled to make positive plays when initiating offense. He's shooting a combined 10-44 (22.7 percent) on shot attempts derived from either pick-and-roll or isolation plays, with more turnovers (seven) than trips to the free throw line (six). That level of execution is simply dragging the offense down significantly.
The shot creation Dinwiddie provided in the regular season has fallen off a cliff through four playoff performances. With Utah often having a rim protector on the floor, Dinwiddie hasn't consistently produced in the paint.
Avoid Foul Trouble
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Managing to achieve a balance defending with physicality but doing so without fouling has become a struggle for the Mavs. Dallas is naturally at a disadvantage against Rudy Gobert and Hassan Whiteside by playing small and having to load up on Donovan Mitchell.
The Jazz attempted 42 free throw attempts in Game 4, with eight coming from Gobert in the fourth quarter. The Mavericks finished with only 23 trips to the line, just one more than Utah had in the first half.
The Mavericks experienced significant success when Maxi Kleber played the 5. It's helped to spread the defense out and force their bigs into challenging positions by often deciding between helping against a drive or staying home on a shooter.
After Kleber fouled out with 4:18 remaining in regulation, the Mavericks had no choice but to use Powell at the 5 to close the game.
Staying disciplined is essential when playing at a disadvantage in a matchup. Kleber needs to eliminate offensive fouls like moving screens, but also let some finishes at the rim go instead of leaving his feet to foul.
Rekindle Previous Shooting Success
Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports
Converting on 3s at a high clip and keeping turnovers low have been critical for the Mavs. The Mavericks got off to a rough start in shooting on the perimeter in Game 4. They went just 5-24 (20.8 percent) from beyond the arc during the first half. Reggie Bullock, Dorian Finney-Smith, Brunson and Davis Bertans combined to shoot 1-11.
In their opening half, generating open looks from deep wasn't an issue for the Mavericks. Of their 24 3-point attempts in the first half, 21 were considered open or wide open. They went just 5-21 (23.8 percent) on those attempts.
A cold opening half for the Mavs played a crucial role in their 12-point halftime deficit. Overall, Dallas scored 42 points while converting at just a 31.7 percent clip from the floor despite Doncic providing 14 points on 6-11 (54.5 percent) from the floor and 2-4 (50.0 percent) on 3s.
It took a hot shooting 8-10 (80 percent) in the third quarter to close the gap. The Mavericks attempted to counter the Utah's interior defense by spreading the floor with shooting. Dallas needs clean looks to drop at a high clip.
