- Luka Doncic’s lingering calf injury affecting the Dallas Mavericks’ playoff odds.
- Despite past playoff collapses, online sportsbooks are still favoring the Utah Jazz to win the series.
DALLAS – Through two games of the NBA playoffs series, the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz are tied 1-1. They are also tied in total points in the series, with both teams having scored exactly 203 points.
Despite how close the series has been, online sportsbooks have the Utah Jazz as significant favorites to win this series.
Current Odds To Win The Series Between The Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks
- Utah Jazz -250
- Dallas Mavericks +200
Luka Doncic’s Injury Effecting Betting Odds
Luka Doncic, unfortunately, strained his calf during the Maverick’s last game of the regular season on April 10th. Online sportsbooks had given the Dallas Mavericks +3000 to win the NBA Finals before the injury, with the odds immediately shooting up to +7000 after the injury.
Doncic’s talent is clear, he was even the betting favorite to win NBA MVP before this season. He started the season off slow for his standards (slightly less excellent) but took off after the All-Star break.
Luka Doncic’s Stats Before And After The All-Star Break
| Time Frame | Points | Assists | Rebounds | FG % | 3PT FG % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre All-Star Break | 27.5 | 9 | 9.2 | 44.90% | 33.50% |
| Post All-Star Break | 30.2 | 8.2 | 9 | 47.30% | 38.50% |
Good news for NBA bettors, Luka Doncic may be back sooner than some people thought.
Sources: There’s optimism Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will return for Game 3 (Thursday) or Game 4 (Saturday) vs. Jazz. The calf strain that Doncic suffered on April 10 is improving and workouts over next two days could determine comeback timing.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 19, 2022
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Doncic may not only be back sooner than some people thought, but many thought he would have to lead a ferocious series comeback if he was able to make his return. With the series tied at one game apiece, he may just give the Mavericks a huge edge to win the series.
Ghost Of Playoff’s Past For The Utah Jazz Not Influencing Oddsmakers
Putting it kindly, the Utah Jazz has a checkered recent playoff history. Last season they lead the Los Angeles Clippers 2-0 in the Western Conference Semifinals, just for Jazz to lose the series 4-2.
Kawhi Leonard did not play the last two games of that series either. In the 2020 NBA Playoff bubble, the Utah Jazz held a comfortable 3-1 lead against the Denver Nuggets before losing the final three games.
Despite their history, online sportsbooks have favored the Jazz to win this series from the start.
| Team | Before Game 1 | Before Game 2 | Before Game 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Jazz | -300 | -700 | -250 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 240 | 300 | 200 |
Online sportsbooks are so confident in the Utah Jazz that they have the odds of the Jazz leading the series 3-1 after game four at -120.
With odds as extreme as those, plus the possibility of Luka Doncic’s return, now may be the time to bet on Dallas Mavericks to be the third team in three years to come back from a series deficit to beat the Utah Jazz in the playoffs.
