NBA Experts Make Mavs vs. Jazz Playoffs Predictions

The start of the 2022 NBA playoffs is here. Will it be the Dallas Mavericks or Utah Jazz that wins their first-round series?

The Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz will face off in the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs. 

The top storyline surrounding the series is the status of Luka Doncic as he recovers from a left calf strain. He was ruled out for Game 1, but optimism remains that he will return sooner rather than later. 

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images

While Doncic is sidelined, Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie will do their best to lead the Mavericks' offense while the Jazz are at full-strength entering the matchup. 

Here are some of the top expert predictions for the series before Game 1 tips off:

ESPN Staff Predictions: Among the 19 participants in ESPN's series-by-series predictions for the first round, 12 picked the Mavericks to win the series. 

The most optimistic of projections for the Mavericks came from Ohm Youngmisuk, who picked Dallas to win in five games. As for the Jazz, names like Zach Lowe, Tim MacMahon, Bobby Marks, and Kevin Pelton each picked the Jazz in six games as their earliest series win projection.

Shaun Powell of NBA.com: Mavericks in six. 

When Tim Hardaway Jr., was lost for the year and the Mavericks finally ran out of patience with Kristaps Porzingis and traded him, Dallas seemed like a team caught in transition during the season, never a comfortable position. But Doncic suddenly went on a tear, and here they are. He seems poised to produce an epic series and you wonder if Utah, a poor defensive team outside of Gobert, has anyone capable of stopping him. The sense is Luka will put his signature stamp on this first round.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report: Mavericks in seven. 

The Mavs are peaking at the right time. And though the Jazz are still loaded with talent and finished the season with the league's third-best simple rating system (which combines point differential and strength of schedule), they're heading in the opposite direction.

Kenneth Teape of NBA Analysis Network: Mavericks in six.

Doncic will return at that point and give the Mavericks the spark that they are looking for. They will win Game 4 before heading back home and winning Game 5, grabbing all of the momenta in the series.

Utah will bounce back and defend its home court before the Dallas Mavericks win a thrilling Game 7, sending the Jazz home early, which will signal some major changes being made.

Ben Hall of DraftKings Nation: Jazz in five.

With Doncic out, it takes everything away from the Mavericks. The star guard is the rock for that team and they are in trouble without him. The Jazz have had some late struggles but this could be a big confidence booster for them to start the playoff. If Doncic is out for multiple games, Utah should win this series easily. If the Mavericks get their guard back after missing only the first game, they are likely to push this series to 6 or 7.

Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports: Jazz in seven. (Mavericks in six if Doncic is healthy.)