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The first round of the NBA playoff is set to start Saturday, April 15. The play-in games will take place on April 12, 13, and 15. In the Western Conference, the No. 4 seed Dallas Mavericks will take on the No. 5 seed Utah Jazz.
Mavericks vs. Jazz predictions
Odds to win series: Jazz -300, Mavericks +230
Regular season record: Mavericks: 52-30, Jazz: 49-33
Head-to-head record: 2-2
This is a tough series because both teams have been up and down. The Jazz started the season off well but have really struggled late. The Mavericks have been pretty good but will be without Luka Doncic for an unknown amount of time.
Pick: Jazz in 5 games
With Doncic out, it takes everything away from the Mavericks. The star guard is the rock for that team and they are in trouble without him. The Jazz have had some late struggles but this could be a big confidence booster for them to start the playoff. If Doncic is out for multiple games, Utah should win this series easily. If the Mavericks get their guard back after missing only the first game, they are likely to push this series to 6 or 7.
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