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The Utah Jazz were slipping in a big way of late before two much-needed wins, including a thrilling overtime victory over the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies. The Jazz are now sitting at 48-32 on the season, which is good for fifth place in the Western Conference. They're two games behind the Dallas Mavericks and a game ahead of the Denver Nuggets.
Utah has struggled with maintaining leads, which has led to frustration on the court. The Jazz have been a playoff team over the past few seasons, but they have not been able to get over the hump. They are led by star guard Donovan Mitchell, who has improved throughout every season of his career.
This season, Mitchell is averaging 26.0 points per game along with 4.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists. He is shooting 45.0 percent from the field and 35.5 percent from behind the arc.
They have paired him with All-Star center Rudy Gobert, who is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner. Around those stars, they have good role players in Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, Jordan Clarkson, and more. This core is solid but has not been enough to make a deep playoff run.
Getting an opponent that Utah matches up well against will be crucial to moving on. Here is a look at the two opponents most likely to match face the Jazz in the first round.
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Utah Jazz 2022 first-round playoff opponents
This may be surprising, but the Golden State Warriors would be a good matchup for the Jazz. Golden State doesn't have a great center, which should allow Gobert to dominate in the paint, though the Dubs could neutralize him some with small ball.
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Gobert's defense is what fans know him for, but he can be a productive lob threat and scorer in the paint. This season, he is averaging 15.5 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks. He is also shooting a very efficient 71.3 percent from the field.
The Jazz also have 3-point shooters who can rival the Warriors' dynamic guard trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole.
Curry is out for the regular season with an injury, and it could take him a game or two to get back in rhythm. This could help the Jazz steal the series and take down the Warriors.
1. Dallas Mavericks
While the Mavericks have been on a roll, they have not proven that they can get past the first round. Luka Doncic has asserted himself as one of the best players in the league but has lost in consecutive first-round series.
Doncic is averaging 28.3 points per game, 9.1 rebounds, and 8.8 assists. He is near unguardable, but he doesn't have a legitimate co-star alongside him. Dallas has surrounded him with quality role players, but it has not been enough to get them into a second-round series.
Although the Jazz have not made it to a Western Conference Finals with this core, they have made it to a second-round series. With more playoff experience and a better overall roster, the Jazz could take down the Mavericks.
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Utah will need to make a great playoff run, or the direction of the franchise could be in jeopardy. Head coach Quin Snyder may be headed elsewhere if the Jazz don't make it far in the postseason. Rumors have swirled around star guard Donovan Mitchell, with Utah seeing the same results every season. The Jazz usually have a solid regular season, then get eliminated in the first or second round of the playoffs.
CBS Sports said the Jazz likely won't fire Snyder but they might mutually agree to part ways as both may need a change.
— Laker Central (@LakerCentral365) April 5, 2022
This is the year the Jazz need to turn it around, as the Western Conference will likely be even tougher next season.
