Tough Pill to Swallow: Mavs on Wrong Side of History with Game 4 Collapse

The Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz are now tied at 2-2 as the series shifts back to American Airlines Center for an all-important Game 5 on Monday night.

A loss is a loss no matter which way you try to slice it, but it’s just a fact that some losses hurt much more than others — especially when it’s in a way that has rarely happened.

That’s the tough pill the Dallas Mavericks had to swallow after squandering a 99-95 lead with 39.6 seconds left in Game 3 vs. the Utah Jazz. In that short time span, Dallas gave up a costly 3-point play, missed two key free throws with 19 seconds left, gave up an uncontested dunk to Rudy Gobert, and poorly executed its final shot attempt in what ended up being a 100-99 loss.

Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Over the last 10 postseasons, only five teams have had a four-point lead with 40 seconds left and let the game get away from them: the San Antonio Spurs (2013), the Los Angeles Clippers (2014), the New Orleans Pelicans (2015), the Denver Nuggets (2019), and now, the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday evening in Utah. Teams were 4-701 in those playoff situations during that span heading into Saturday. Now the record is 5-701.

Even after blowing the lead, the Mavs still had the ball for the final shot attempt with 11 seconds left. After a timeout, Dallas decided to go full-court instead of advancing to half-court. After Utah doubled Luka Doncic, the ball ended up in the hands of Dinwiddie for a 3-pointers that was off the mark at the buzzer. It was in nearly the same exact spot where he hit the game-winner against the Brooklyn Nets earlier this season.

"Spencer has made that shot before from Luka,” said coach Jason Kidd after the Game 4 loss. “We got what we wanted, shot just didn't go down for us. We had some great looks, we go to the free throw line and just don't make them. Now we just have to go home and protect home."

Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas might a legit gripe about the officiating in Game 4, as the Jazz shot 42 free throws to the Mavs’ 23. When Dallas was up four with 39 seconds left, Dwight Powell forced a Donovan Mitchell miss at the rim while also taking an elbow to the face. Instead of an offensive foul being called, Mitchell grabbed the rebound off his own miss and put it back up and in with a foul called on Doncic the second time.

Even with that stroke of bad luck, though, Dwight Powell still had a chance to push the lead back up to three on the following possession, but missed both free throws. Officiating didn’t help, but at the end of the day, the Mavs really have only themselves to blame.

“It's hard to get a win with (Utah getting) 42 free throws, said Doncic. “We gotta stop fouling and learn from it. We didn't really execute (the last play) well. I should drive the ball.

“But it's 2-2. We gotta go on to the next one.”