The first-round NBA playoff series between the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks is now even at 2-2 after Utah came away with a 100-99 home victory on Saturday in Game 4.
The Mavericks appeared to be in strong shape to take a 3-1 series lead after Luka Dončić — who missed Games 1-3 and was questionable for Game 4 with a calf strain — nailed a stepback three to give Dallas a 99-95 lead with 39.1 seconds remaining.
LUKA! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/9CEDrsCb21
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 23, 2022
But the Jazz quickly got those three points back, when Donovan Mitchell made a layup and was fouled; he made the ensuing free throw to make it a 99-98 game.
Donovan Mitchell and-one!!! pic.twitter.com/ZhROhFxJAk
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 23, 2022
With 19.8 seconds remaining, the Mavericks’ Dwight Powell was fouled and missed both free throws. After the second miss, Mitchell found big man Rudy Gobert for an alley-oop dunk to give Utah a 100-99 lead with 11.0 seconds remaining.
The Jazz take advantage of the Mavs' missed free throws with a Mitchell-to-Gobert alley-oop jam! 🏀🔨 pic.twitter.com/YUwGBQEwTV
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 23, 2022
Everybody in the arena knew that Dončić would be looking for the last shot, and Utah did a great job double-teaming him and forcing the ball out of his hands. Dončić passed the ball to Spencer Dinwiddie with under two seconds remaining, but Dinwiddie’s long three came up short.
Great defense by the Jazz to lock down Luka on the final possession. Utah evens up the series 2-2! 🏀 pic.twitter.com/OYwIOjMH6n
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 23, 2022
Here’s a look at how the basketball world is reacting to Utah’s series-tying victory in Game 4:
Bojan Bogdanovic….his defense was terrific all game….easily his most impactful game defensively in a jazz uniform
— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) April 23, 2022
Jordan Clarkson today:
25 PTS
4 REB
9-16 FG
3-5 3PThe Jazz outscored the Mavs 35-13 off the bench. pic.twitter.com/u4GfhMqS7P
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 23, 2022
Jazz shot 8 percentage points worse than expected, with a higher expected eFG% and a lower actual efG%, and won.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) April 24, 2022
Snyder went back and trusted Gobert, the Mavs got foul-sloppy. Gobert finishes +1 with the gamewinner after all that went down.
Dunno what to make of that.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) April 23, 2022
Credit to the Jazz. I thought they were dead.
— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) April 23, 2022
The Jazz after Luka’s three pic.twitter.com/xgTpDNcFAL
— br_betting (@br_betting) April 23, 2022
The Jazz are now +110 to win the series.
Utah bettors, how do you feel about those odds after tonight? pic.twitter.com/iq43iwbpxJ
— NBC Sports EDGE Betting (@NBCSportsBet) April 24, 2022