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Jason Kidd's Emphasis On Defense Paying Off

Donovan Mitchell Injury: Will Jazz Star Play Game 6 vs. Mavs?

Utah Jazz superstar Donovan Mitchell may be unavailable to play Game 6 against the Dallas Mavericks in their first-round playoff series.

During the Dallas Mavericks' 102-77 win over the Utah Jazz in Game 5, Donovan Mitchell's performance came to an early end. He appeared to have suffered a hamstring injury — causing him to limp to the locker room 

The Jazz announced on Tuesday that Mitchell was diagnosed with bilateral quadriceps contusions. His status for Game 6 remains uncertain, but there's a chance he'll be able to play in what is now a possible elimination game for Utah. 

Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz
Jalen Brunson, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz

“I went up to try to finish and it just tightened up on me,” Mitchell said. “I just couldn’t run back on defense, so I had to come out.”

Mitchell was limited to having arguably the worst performance of his NBA playoff career. He played just under 32 minutes and recorded only nine points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal with four turnovers. He shot a poor 4-15 (26.7 percent) from the floor, missed all seven of his 3s, and attempted only one free throw. 

The Game 5 performance Mitchell had against the Mavericks marked the first playoff game in his NBA career finishing with fewer than ten points. He finished with as many turnovers as made field goals with a total of four each. 

"I give credit to [Dorian] Finney-Smith," Mitchell said. "This wasn't the best game of my career, let alone the playoffs. The looks I've been getting haven't been the easiest. I'm just trying to find a way."

Mavs Jazz Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks
Donovan Mitchell, Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz

Through five games in the series, Mitchell has been limited to averages of 26.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. He's shooting just 37.9 percent from the floor and 19.5 percent from beyond the arc. 

It's difficult to envision the Mavericks not seeking to exploit Mitchell on defense if he were to play through injury in Game 6. He's been a negative on defense throughout the series 

"This is the playoffs, so I've got to find a way," Mitchell said. "We'll see how I feel, but I'm a competitor."

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