‘Playoff Prep’: Mavs Face Big Test vs. Jazz Following All-Star Break

The Dallas Mavericks’ path to homecourt advantage in the NBA playoffs must go through the Utah Jazz — three times to be exact. That first big test happens on Friday night.

Through all of the ups and downs of the regular season, the Dallas Mavericks managed to enter the All-Star break with a 35-24 record. With the team sitting in fifth-place in the Western Conference, much focus will be placed on seeding, given that Dallas hasn't held homecourt advantage since its 2011 championship run. 

The Mavericks return to action on Friday when they take on the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena to start a three-game road trip. Luka Doncic, who is averaging 35.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 9.8 assists over his last 10 games, will look to build on his MVP-level play.

Every game down the stretch is going to matter for a team looking to contend. Matchups against the Jazz, who rank fourth in the Western Conference, will hold the most weight, though. Dallas trails Utah by 1.5 games and each team will face off three times before the end of the regular season. 

“The first game after the break is always super-important,” Dwight Powell told Mavs.com. “We’ve got to try to continue doing the things we’ve been doing good and improve on the things we’ve been trying to improve on since before the break.

“We’re going up against a great team (Utah) with a lot of weapons and a lot of defensive capabilities, so I think it’s a good way to come off the bat and have that challenge.”

Utah has been no stranger to ups and downs of their own this season, either. The Jazz began the season 28-10 through 38 games but has gone 10-12 since. There's been real slippage from a previously elite Utah defense, but the Jazz have still been the NBA's most efficient half-court offense. 

There was a turnaround in performance-level from the Jazz as they entered the All-Star break. Over their last seven games, Utah, like Dallas, has also gone 6-1 while recording a 120.1 offensive rating (1st), 105.1 defensive rating (3rd), and 15.0 net rating (2nd). 

Having to get to the rim against Rudy Gobert is always a challenging task, but Utah is not a team that will deviate from him being in a position where that's the focus. Dynamic perimeter shot creators and players who thrive in the gap are able to attack the weak points of Utah's defense, both of which are strengths of Doncic.

On the other hand, the Jazz pose real challenges for the Mavericks' defense. Dallas has struggled to contain opposing teams from scoring a high volume of second-chance points at times as of late — giving up a combined 42 second-chance points over the last two games (most in NBA). Containing Gobert on the boards will need to be a priority. 

The Mavericks and Jazz both have played some of the best basketball around the NBA as of late, and their head-to-head matchups will offer an intriguing look into what could be one of the more compelling first-round playoff matchups.

There's been mounting pressure for the Jazz in regards to keeping Donovan Mitchell content enough to stay in Utah long-term. The team as a whole will surely be playing with a high sense of urgency to close not only the regular season but to advance deep in the playoffs, too.