Doncic with 24 points leads the Mavs to a thrilling success in game-6 with Utah: from Monday confrontation with the Suns. For the Jazz, who had the chance to win on the siren with Bogdanovic, new disappointment: now a revolution is likely
& commat; dchinellato
The last time Dallas had won a playoff series, Jason Kidd was hugging Dirk Nowitzki, mvp of the 2011 Finals in which the Mavs had triumphed against LeBron James’ early Miami Heat. And Luka Doncic was a 12-year-old son of art who loved basketball and dreamed of becoming a champion in his Ljubljana one day, without having tasted Real Madrid yet. Eleven years later, one coach and the other star, both watched petrified as Bojan Bogdanovic threw on the siren, right in front of the Dallas bench, the triple of Utah’s possible overtaking: ball rejected by the iron and Mavs apotheosis. The Texans break a sort of curse with this 98-96 with which they close their accounts in Game-6 and earn the conference semifinal against Phoenix, which starts on Monday in Arizona. For Utah this defeat, this umpteenth playoff disappointment, probably represents the end of an era.
promoted
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“I’m really happy to be through the shift,” says Luka with a smile that lights up his face. For Dallas it was becoming an obsession, which Doncic has experienced on his skin for the past two years. But this team is different from the past, with coach Kidd who has been able to hit the right strings to improve it: “We won’t have big names, except Luka who obviously captures all the attention, but we have a great group in which everyone believes in the team. what helped us to win this series “says proudly the coach, in his first year on the bench of the Mavs.
The series against Utah confirmed how much Dallas is much more than his phenomenon: Jalen Brunson, 24 points like Doncic in Game-6, confirmed that he has star potential (“He should be the Most Improved” Doncic reiterates), Spencer Dinwiddie played another splendid match from the bench with heavy baskets. However, it is Dorian Finney-Smith who more than others embodies the battle spirit that Kidd has given to the team, with his 18 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists essential to close the accounts and avoid game-7. “We got a great result, but now we have to prepare for Phoenix” recalls coach Kidd. Doncic already has the recipe to try to surprise the Suns: “Our defense: it is the one that helped us win this series, we should also propose it again against Phoenix, the best team of the regular season”.
Revolution
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Snyder struggles to put words together after a disappointing defeat, but seems to be speaking as an ex already. “It has been a privilege to coach this team.” The Jazz had one goal this year: to make their way into the playoffs. They stopped in the first round, and despite playing their best game of the series in Game-6, as Snyder said, during the match against Dallas they showed that something in this group has been broken for some time and that something new is needed. After winning Game-1, Utah did not take advantage of the next two games in which Dallas played without Doncic, drawing 2-2 only at the last second and then losing badly the fifth game. The Mavs overall played better, but the Jazz lost this series a long time ago. Management will have to make important decisions, starting with Snyder. But even Donovan Mitchell, a franchise man in recent years who finished with 23 points despite his precarious physical condition, could change the air. Also because the agreement with Rudy Gobert, out of the game despite 10 points and 12 rebounds, has been broken for some time. It is true that the Jazz went to a missed triple from game-7, but that mistake by Bogdanovic (“There was no better player than him to take that shot” Snyder acquits him) probably ended an era in Salt Lake City. .
the match
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Utah tries to take control of a very defensive match by accelerating in the last 6 ‘of the first half, ending 53-41 with a 20-7 run. Dallas rearranges his ideas in the locker room and reacts in the interval: Doncic with 10 points in the third period leads the offensive reversal, while the defense keeps the Jazz at 6/17 shooting. The Mavs start the last quarter ahead 77-72 and stretch up to +8, but Utah still wants to fight and hooks up with Gobert at 88-88 with 4’22 ”to play. The final is thrilling: Brunson makes 97-94 Mavs with 2’03 “to play, Gobert brings Utah back to one point behind with 35” on the clock. Conley’s bad mistake with 5 ”from the end, Brunson makes 1/2 from the line. Utah has 4 ”to prove the miracle: on the throw-in the ball reaches Bogdanovic, but his triple ends up on the iron. And as Dallas leaves for Phoenix, the Jazz go on vacation. When they return they will probably be very different from those who surrendered to Doncic.
Utah: Mitchell 23 (7/10 of two, 2/7 of three, 3/4 free throws), Bogdanovic 19, Clarkson 15. Rebounds: Gobert 12. Assists: Mitchell 9.
Dallas: Doncic 24 (4/11, 4/10, 4/4 tl), Brunson 24 (7/13, 2/4, 4/6 tl), Dinwiddie 19. Rebounds: Finney-Smith 10. Assists: Doncic 8.
April 29, 2022 (change April 29, 2022 | 07:30)
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