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The Utah Jazz beat the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. The Mavs kept it close, but without Luka Doncic, the Jazz were able to pull out a 99-93 win away from home.
Doncic's status for Game 2 remains very much in doubt, so the Jazz have a golden opportunity to steal one more game at American Airlines Center. Going back to Salt Lake City with a two-game cushion would be huge for a team that needs to show the world why they can make noise in the West.
Without further ado, let's look at three bold Utah Jazz predictions for Game 2 against Dallas Mavs.
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Bold Jazz predictions for Game 2 vs. Mavs
Rudy Gobert will drop a 20/20 game
This is fairly odd to say, simply because Rudy Gobert only shot once in the first game and finished with just five points, all from the free throw line. However, despite him being a defender first, Gobert has had some good offensive games in the past.
Just this season, Gobert was able to average 15.6 points per contest while also shooting NBA-best 71.3% from the field. Additionally, the French center had 17 games with 20 or more points and failed to score double-digits just nine times this year. He can clearly fill it up when Utah needs some extra offensive punch, and the series against the Mavs presents a great opportunity for the Jazz All-Star to perform.
Since they traded away Kristaps Porzingis at the trade deadline, the Mavs do not have a player that can really put up a fight in the middle. That is why Gobert was able to gobble up 17 boards in the first game. One advantage the Jazz have is that Gobert does not require a ton of offensive attention, simply because he can make a massive impact on the offensive glass.
Lastly, Gobert has put up two 20/20 games this year already and had five more in previous years. He can definitely do it, so look for Gobert to fill up the stat sheet in Game 2.
Bojan Bogdanovic will light it up again
The story of the first game was really how Bojan Bogdanovic was able to keep the Jazz alive when Donovan Mitchell was not shooting well. The Croatian veteran has been with the Jazz for three years now. Despite not being on the level he was in his first season, Bogdanovic can still fill it up when need be.
After averaging 18.1 points per game this season, he dropped 26 on 55% shooting from the field in Game 1. The Mavs simply did not have an answer for his drives, as he made seven out of his 11 field goals in the paint. The strange thing is that his big game came absent hot three-point shooting, as the career 39.2% shooter from deep went just 2-of-6 on triples.
In Game 2, Bogdanovic could be better from three-point land, making him even more dangerous as a penetrator. He already knows, just like the the paint is open considering Dallas does not have an imposing rim protector. However, Bogdanovic's real bread and butter is the three-point line, since his shooting ability is how he got to the NBA in the first place.
If the Mavs decide to go for a zone defense, to mask their deficiencies in the middle, Bogdanovic is the first player to look for on the perimeter. Expect him to put up more impressive scoring numbers, helping propel the Jazz offensively.
Utah will win Game 2, setting up a possible first-round sweep
Winning two games away from home is extremely difficult in the playoffs. With the Jazz and the Mavs playing at similar levels, the former taking Game 2 would be monumental.
The Jazz won Game 1 with Gobert taking only one shot and with Mitchell shooting 10- of-29 from the field. Jordan Clarkson, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, scored just 10 points off the bench, and Utah shot an uncharacteristic 7-of-22 from three as a team. hem making just seven threes out of 22 attempts.
These are all areas to improve upon and if the Jazz can do it, they're likely to win Game 2. After that, they are going home to Salt Lake City where they went 29-12 this year, including two wins over the Mavs. Dallas would be shellshocked in that scenario, especially with Doncic still sidelined, and could be on verge of getting swept from the first round.
