We’re nearing the end of the first round of the NBA’s 2022 playoffs, and on Monday night with have three games from series that are in very different places. The Utah Jazz are tied with the Dallas Mavericks, 2-2, in a game that has seen the Jazz blow double-digit leads in each game. In Game 1, the Jazz were able to come back to win; in Game 4, the Jazz were down by four but then won on a late alley-oop after Dwight Powell bricked two free throws for the Mavericks. Luka Doncic returned for Dallas as the Mavericks have home court advantage once again. The Philadelphia 76ers lead Toronto, 3-1, but Joel Embiid has a torn ligament in his right thumb, a problem that will require surgery after the season, and his shooting looked off in the 76ers’ Game 4 loss in Toronto. The 76ers look to regain momentum as the series returns to Philadelphia. Boston looks to complete a series sweep in Brooklyn after simply making the Nets look confused in Game 3; even a cameo by Blake Griffin for the Nets could not stop the Boston swarm. Check out our NBA betting thoughts for each matchup.
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Boston Celtics (+1) at Brooklyn Nets, Game 4 (7:00 pm ET, TNT)
Boston leads, 3-0
The Celtics went into Game 3 as four-point underdogs and fell behind by double digits in the first quarter but fought their way back and won, 109-103. That gave the Celtics six straight wins over Brooklyn, as Boston won the last three of the four regular-season meetings as well. The key for Boston was a swarming defense that never let Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving get settled in the offense. Having Robert Williams III back in the lineup let the Celtics dominate the paint. Williams finished with 15 crucial minutes off the bench. Jayson Tatum had 39 points, six assists and six steals, controlling both ends of the court, and Jaylen Brown had 23 points and five assists.
Brooklyn’s best looks came at the start of the game and in the second quarter, which the Nets won by two thanks to some stingy defense. In the second half, the Nets went on a number of runs, but they never could make it a one-possession game. Bruce Brown was the leading scorer with 26 points and eight boards, but the fact that Brown was the top point producer on a team with KD and Kyrie was a real problem. Irving put up 16 points and eight assists, but the fact that Brown took more shots than KD did during the game is not the right trend; neither were the 18 turnovers. I see the Nets coming out strong with their backs against the wall and doing a better job of finishing.
Final Score Prediction: Brooklyn 109, Boston 104
Toronto Raptors (+8) at Philadelphia 76ers, Game 5 (8:00 pm ET, NBA TV)
Philadelphia leads, 3-1
Going down 3-0 in a playoff series has been fatal every time it has happened, but Toronto came out and gutted out a Game 4 win, 110-102. The Raptors only shot 42% for the game, including 23.5% from behind the arc, but they had five more boards than Philadelphia and four fewer turnovers. Pascal Siakam was the scoring leader with 34 points and eight boards, and Gary Trent Jr chipped in 24 points. Scottie Barnes played despite having an injured ankle, but he still had six points and a team-high 11 boards.
James Harden was the 76ers’ top scorer with 22 points, but he only shot 5 of 17 on the night. Joel Embiid scored 21 points, and Tobias Harris chipped in 15 points and 11 boards. Tyrese Maxey has not been as dominant in Toronto as he was in Philadelphia; he scored 61 points in Games 1 and 2, but he only scored 30 points in Games 3 and 4, and he turned the ball over six times in those two games. With the series returning to Philadelphia, the 76ers should be able to close things out, but this eight-point spread seems high, especially with Embiid dealing with a thumb injury.
Final Score Prediction: Philadelphia 107, Toronto 102
Utah Jazz (+3) at Dallas Mavericks (9:30 pm ET, TNT)
Series tied, 2-2
Utah still has all kinds of problems finishing games. They were up 16 in the second quarter, but Dallas outscored the Jazz by 14 in the third quarter and, really, should have finished the win. While the Jazz got the finish, it just came down to free throws. Jordan Clarkson came off the bench to lead the Jazz with 25 points and four rebounds, and Donovan Mitchell had 23 points, seven assists, six rebounds and a pair of steals. Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 15 boards.
Dallas had Luka Doncic on a minutes restriction in his return from a calf strain. He led all scorers with 30 points and added 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals. The Mavericks’ shooting was a little off from Game 3 (42.9%). Jalen Brunson continued a terrific series with 23 points and five rebounds. Spencer Dinwiddie and Maxi Kleber are also contributing big-time on offense, with Kleber nailing three-balls and Dinwiddie crashing the rim.
Final Score Prediction: Dallas 111, Utah 106
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