If this was a playoff preview, it was like watching the trailer for a movie with most of the villains edited out.
The Utah Jazz were missing two starters – center Rudy Gobert and shooting guard Bojan Bogdanovic – plus backup big man Hassan Whiteside for Sunday’s visit to American Airlines Center.
It certainly took a little luster off the matchup between the teams that would play each other in the first round if the playoffs began today.
The Mavericks treated it the way they should have, taking control in the second half for a 114-100 victory. But the Jazz being short-staffed tempered any confidence the Mavericks may have taken from this.
Not having to face Gobert made it particularly different for the Mavericks.
That’s because Gobert is such a big issue for the Mavericks, figuratively as well as literally. The 7-1 Gobert is always a force defensively. But ahead of Sunday’s game, Mavericks’ coach Jason Kidd said the offensive end of the floor can be just as important for Gobert in terms of the Jazz’s overall success.
“A lot of people don’t look at him as a big part of their offense, but he is because of the easy ones, the lobs, the put-backs,” Kidd said. “We’re trying to stay connected to him, trying to keep him out of the paint and off the glass and limit his touches. So far, we’ve done a pretty good job.”
That’s why Gobert averaged “only” 12 points and 13.7 rebounds in the first three meetings against the Mavericks. Those are nice numbers, but below his season norms of 15.3 points and 14.6 rebounds.
The Mavericks certainly would take those numbers over the long haul if they should meet the Jazz in the playoffs, which is looking more and more likely.
Utah coach Quin Snyder said that Kidd’s analysis of Gobert is spot-on.
Snyder is a big believer that screen-setting, which opens up the Jazz’s shooters who make more 3-pointers than anybody else in the NBA, is a skill that doesn’t get near enough credit.
And it’s not just screening for shooters. It’s the mismatches that come when Gobert sets the screen and rolls to the rim.
“I’d argue that if you’re Jordan Clarkson or Bojan or Donovan (Mitchell) that you appreciate someone screening for you and when when you get in the lane and create a two-on-one, that’s where I’m going with this,” Snyder said. “Rudy creates help situations because of the pressure he puts on (a defense).
“Our team is built a certain way and I think, to Jason’s point, it’s built around our five men – they’ve got a job to do and often times it doesn’t show up in the box score. I continue to say that screen-assists (should) remind everybody of the importance of what Rudy does. When Donovan takes a clean 3-point shot off the dribble, he deserves credit for making that shot, but Rudy and our team deserve credit for spacing and allowing that shot to happen. What Rudy does is essential to that.”
The Mavericks didn’t have to deal with that on Sunday.
But if and when they see Utah in a best-of-seven situation next month, you can believe that it’s going to be a major point of emphasis.
Final Four bound? Uh, Maybe: Jalen Brunson is a proud product of Villanova and his beloved Wildcats will be making their third trip to the NCAA Final Four in the past seven season.
Brunson, of course, was part of the first two, which ended with NCAA championships in 2016 and 2018.
Villanova made the Final Four, which is in New Orleans starting Saturday, by winning two games over the weekend in San Antonio, including an Elite Eight victory over Houston.
Brunson did not get to attend Saturday’s win in San Antonio. But he left the door open on the upcoming weekend.
“No plans yet. I’m just focusing on Tuesday’s game,” that second comment drew laughter from media members.
The odds of seeing Saturday’s semifinal game are slim since the Mavericks have a Sunday game at 1 p.m. in Milwaukee.
However, after that, the Mavericks are off until Wednesday at Detroit.
It could allow Brunson to go to New Orleans for Monday night’s championship game, if the Wildcats win their semifinal game against Kansas.
Brunson played with three members of this Villanova team when he won the title in 2018: Collin Gillespie, Jermaine Samuels and Dhamir-Cosby Roundtree.
“I talked to Collin this morning,” Brunson said after Sunday’s win over the Jazz. “Those two and there’s a third I played with, (Roundtree), those three are like family. The whole team is family, but playing with them, I’m really proud of them. They’re special.
“Us as a program, we all believed we knew what they could do and they brought us back to the promised land.”
Asked if he told the team anything, Brunson said: “The only thing I told them is: you’re not finished. I didn’t need to say anything.”
Luka’s savvy on display: Kidd called this game the first true “big-game” atmosphere for his staff and players.
That being the case, he said it’s the sort of game that was tailor-made for Luka Dončić. He’s been getting paid to play basketball for nearly a decade, so he’s got as much or more experience in big games as any of his teammates.
“When you start as young as he has as a pro, he’s been around and he’s felt it and played in it,” Kidd said. “Some people don’t like it. He’s embraced it. He loves it. He loves the stage. He loves the moment.
“And so, if this is a big game, I think he’s going to be there. He loves it. I think it starts when you’re young to be around people who say: this is a big games. Some enjoy it, some don’t. Some run from it. But he’s not one to run from it. He’s been on the biggest stage and he’s delivered.”
He delivered again on Sunday, rattling off another huge scoring night. He had 32 points (and 10 rebounds) through three quarters and never was needed in the fourth.
FC Dallas in the house: The Mavericks have always had good relations with the other professional teams in the Dallas area. It’s no different with FC Dallas.
The soccer club based in Frisco was on hand Sunday night as part of Los Mavs night at AAC.
Players Brandon Servania, Edwin Cerrrillo and Paxton Pomykal took part in the T-shirt toss after the first quarter.
Pomykal also swapped signed jerseys with Mavericks’ swingman Josh Green, who is from Australia and is an avid soccer fan.
FC Dallas coach Nico Estevez also was on hand.
Twitter: @ESefko
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