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Just when the momentum seems to have shifted to the side of the Utah Jazz, the Dallas Mavericks showed up and delivered a 102-77 beating against their opponents in Game 5. High-scoring performances in between quarters did the trick for Jason Kidd's squad as they gained the upper hand with a 3-2 series lead.
With the series going back to Utah for Game 6, the Jazz are expected to bounce back and come up with adjustments in order to extend their playoff lives for another day. Huge outings from Luka Doncic and company are needed once again as they try to fend off their opponents' fightback and eliminate them in Game 6.
Let's take a look at three reasons why the Mavs are taking control of this series after a dominant Game 5 victory over the Jazz.
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3. Jalen Brunson has been a solid second option next to Luka Doncic.
When Luka Doncic was down in the early stages of the series, it was Jalen Brunson who starred and carried most of the offensive load for the Mavericks. Down 0-1 in the series, the Villanova talent came out with 41 points, eight rebounds, and five assists to lead Dallas to a 110-104 victory.
He continued to be the top scorer for the team until Doncic made his way back to the starting lineup in Game 4. After making his presence known in the first few games, the Jazz knew that they also had to keep an eye on Brunson's production when Doncic makes his return from injury.
With their star player back on the floor, Brunson didn't have any problem adjusting to his previous role and serving as a reliable second option next to Doncic. In Game 4, he put up 23 points, five rebounds, and three assists while he had 24 points, five rebounds, and four assists in Game 5.
Brunson's effectiveness coupled with Doncic's usual production makes it even harder for the Jazz to defend both of them on the floor. If both players continue to torch Utah on offense then the Mavs may very well be on their way toward surviving this series and advancing to the next round.
2. Utah's players couldn't find any consistency on the floor.
Aside from the Mavs' execution, the Jazz's inconsistencies have also been a huge hit to their playoff bid as well. In Game 4, Utah played like a solid team after carving out a 100-99 victory over Dallas. Jordan Clarkson scored 25 points while Donovan Mitchell produced 23 points, six rebounds, and seven assists in that contest.
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Come Game 5, most of Utah's players were out of sync as they greatly struggled on the floor. Mitchell was limited to only seven points while Mike Conley scored four points of his own. Bojan Bogdanovic also had a disappointing game after only contributing two points in 28 minutes. As a team, the Jazz couldn't find the bottom of the net as they shot a horrible 10% from beyond the arc.
Quin Snyder's squad wouldn't have a chance to get back in this series if their main guys continue to put up pedestrian numbers, especially with an elimination game coming up. For the Mavericks, they would definitely need to capitalize on their opponents' woes on offense in order to finish the job right away in Game 6.
1. Luka Doncic is back to his old self.
In the first few games of this series, there have been question marks about the status of Luka Doncic's health and his ability to get back to his old playing form right away upon making his return. While he was away with a calf injury, Jalen Brunson led the charge for the Mavs and allowed the team to nab two crucial wins in the series.
When he suited up in Game 4, Doncic didn't show any signs of rust as he immediately went to work and led his team in scoring with 30 points to go with 10 rebounds and four assists. They may have lost on a game-winning dunk but it surely was a solid outing for a guy who just made his way back on the floor after nursing an injury.
In Game 5, the Slovenian star produced another impressive performance headlined by 33 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists. His level of production allowed the Mavs to run away with a 102-77 lopsided victory to take a 3-2 series lead over the Jazz.
Despite the dominance that they showed, they should still be wary of the Jazz's ability to make a comeback. Even though Utah's main guys have been struggling, their level of talent still can't be denied and they can still make life hard for Dallas once they get their momentum on the floor.
With that said, even though Brunson has been playing at a high level, the Mavericks still need Doncic to continue putting up his usual numbers in order to maintain a comfortable cushion against their opponents. The three-time All-Star will have to play at his best once again come Game 6 in order to ensure that they can already wrap up this series for good and advance to the next round.
