Jazz No-Show In Biggest Game Of The Season
Apr 25, 2022, 11:02 PM | Updated: 11:02 pm
Utah Jazz players react in a game against the Dallas Mavericks (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz failed to show up in their Game 5 matchup with the Dallas Mavericks, disappearing in the most important game of the season.
The Jazz lost 102-77, their lowest scoring output of the season, made just 29 field goals, their fewest of the season, and shot just 3-30 from the three-point line, their lowest three-point percentage of the season.
To make matters worse, All-Star Donovan Mitchell limped off the floor with a hamstring injury which he suffered with 4:41 remaining in the game, despite the Jazz trailing by 28 points.
With the win, Dallas takes a 3-2 series lead and can end the Jazz season in Utah on Thursday night.
The @utahjazz managed just 77 points in their Game 5 loss to the @dallasmavs, their lowest scoring total of the season, and now sit on the brink of elimination. #TakeNote | @dallasmavs https://t.co/vFT8qdYDqd
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) April 26, 2022
Jazz Set Record For Poor Shooting
Any Jazz fans who felt like they were watching one of the worst three-point shooting performances in history can pat themselves on the back, they were right.
According to ESPN, the Jazz 3-30 shooting performance is the worst by an NBA team in the playoffs when attempting at least 25 threes.
It’s also the worst three-point shooting performance by the Jazz when shooting at least 20 threes in any game.
The Jazz shot 3-of-30 (10%) on threes in Game 5.
That is the worst 3-pt percentage in NBA postseason history by a team to attempt at least 25 threes.
It's also the worst 3-pt FG pct in Jazz history with a minimum of 20 3-pt FGA. pic.twitter.com/HQNHf7yQIh
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 26, 2022
Outside of Danuel House Jr. who shot 1-1 from downtown, every player who attempted a three-pointer contributed to the Jazz’s putrid shooting.
Here’s a look at the Jazz’s worst three-point offenders:
Donovan Mitchell: 0-7
Bojan Bogdanovic: 0-5
Jordan Clarkson: 0-4
Mike Conley: 0-3
Juancho Hernangomez: 1-5
Royce O’Neale: 1-5
Simply put, for a team that was designed to space the floor with a lethal three-point shooting attack, no Jazz players were able to make shots when it mattered most.
But, it wasn’t just Game 5 where the Jazz three-point shooting abandoned them, they’ve been dreadful throughout the entirety of their opening-round series.
Quin Snyder didn't pin the @utahjazz loss solely on poor shooting:
"We did miss shots, but we need to try to create for one another." #TakeNote | @kslsports
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) April 26, 2022
After attempting (40.3) and making (14.5) the second-most threes of any team in the NBA this season, the Jazz have gone ice cold in the playoffs.
Through five games the Jazz are attempting just 28.5 threes, third-fewest in the playoffs, and are making just 9.3 per game, the second-fewest in the postseason.
Jazz Players’ Worst Ever Performances
It’s a pretty safe bet to say that both Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic had the worst games of their careers in the Jazz’s Game 5 loss in Dallas.
Mitchell played a team-high 31 minutes, shot 4-15 from the floor, scored nine points, had two rebounds, one assist, one steal, four turnovers, and was a -38 on the floor before leaving the game with the injury.
Donovan said the Jazz won’t shoot this poorly again. They’ll be facing elimination on Thursday night at Vivint Arena. pic.twitter.com/hrO3jNVsqu
— Sam Farnsworth (@Samsworth_KSL) April 26, 2022
Bogdanovic played 27 minutes, missed all nine of his attempts from the floor, scored two points, had one rebound, one assist, two turnovers, and was a -37 in his brief time on the floor.
Mitchell and Bogdanovic led the Jazz in scoring this season averaging a combined 44 points per game but managed just 11 points on 4-24 shooting in the team’s biggest game of the season.
Credit is due to the Mavericks’ defensive gameplan which has run the Jazz off the three-point line all series long, but as the team’s go-to scorers, Mitchell and Bogdanovic simply need to out-talent the Dallas defense, and they couldn’t do it in Game 5.
Bojan Bogdanovic also had the worst night of his Jazz career.
0-9, 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assists, 2 TOs, -37.
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) April 26, 2022
While Mithell and Bogdanovic had their worst games, Mike Conley is having his worst playoff series for the Jazz.
After averaging 20 points and 10.3 assists in four games against the Memphis Grizzlies last season, and 19.8 points and 5.2 assists in five games against the Denver Nuggets in 2020, Conley’s postseason play has been a disappointment in 2022.
The veteran guard is averaging just 8.8 points and 4.2 assists while shooting a dismal 32 percent from the floor and 21 percent from the three-point line.
Conley knocked down just 1-6 shots for four points, five assists, five fouls, and two turnovers in 27 minutes in Game 5.
The Jazz could likely overcome a bad performance from one of their three go-t0 scoring options, but having all three struggle at the same time was a bridge too far.
The two teams will now travel to Utah for Game 6 on Thursday night with the Jazz needing a win over the Mavericks to avoid elimination.
