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The Utah Jazz host the Dallas Mavericks as this Western Conference first-round matchup shifts to Utah on Thursday with the series tied at one game apiece.
The Mavericks pulled out a 110-104 win in Game 2, thanks to Jalen Brunson's 41 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Maxi Kleber chipped in with 25 points off the bench, and the Mavericks were on fire from deep, hitting 22 3-pointers on a scorching 46.8% clip.
For the Jazz, they'll try to bounce back after a disappointing second half on Monday, when they were outscored 62-49. Donovan Mitchell had another strong game with 34 points, while Bojan Bogdanovic scored 25 points after exploding for 26 in Game 1.
With the Mavs' Luka Doncic just recently being ruled out, the Jazz will have a clear advantage again, and they'll be at home, where they were 29-12 in the regular season.
"Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic is out for Game 3 vs. Utah tonight, sources tell ESPN," Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz Match Details
Fixture: Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz
Date & Time: Thursday, April 21st, 9:00 PM EDT
Venue: Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz Betting Odds
The Mavericks have fared well against the spread against the Jazz in recent history, covering six of the last seven times these teams have matched up.
The line opened at 7.5 points, but with Luka Doncic being downgraded from questionable to officially out, it has moved back to 8.5 points in Utah's favor.
However, the Jazz are 7-3 ATS in their last 10 games as favorites during the postseason. And with Doncic missing a third straight game, there's a good chance they could cover at home. In the last six games where Utah has been a home favorite, the total has gone over in four of those, with one push. However, the total has gone under in six of the last nine head-to-head meetings.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz Best Picks
Pick #1: Mike Conley Under 21.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists (-118)
Conley shot 0-for-7 with no points in Game 2 and saw less run as a result, recording 22 total minutes. During this series, the veteran guard has deferred to Donovan Mitchell a lot, so expect that trend to continue Thursday. Also, Conley's minutes may be low again if he's struggling with his shot early on.
Pick #2: Donovan Mitchell Over 34.5 Points + Assists (-122)
Mitchell has scored 32 and 34 points in the first two games of this series while taking 29 and 30 shots. The Jazz star guard should see a similar usage for a must-win Game 3, and he'll chip in as the playmaker as well.
Unlikely. But not impossible - Utah Jazz
Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz Betting Prediction
Despite their star point guard Luka Doncic missing the first two games, the Mavericks have been extremely competitive. The Mavericks shot extremely well in Game 2, but it'll be hard for some Dallas players to replicate their hot shooting again in Game 3. With Game 3 in Utah, expect the home crowd to aid the Jazz as they win comfortably this time around.
Prediction: Utah Jazz -8.5 (-110) & Under 207.5 (-110)
