What to expect from Luka Doncic in Dallas Mavericks playoff series vs. Jazz

The Dallas Mavericks are gearing up for Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz, and it will likely mark the return of Luka Doncic. The 23-year-old superstar has not played since suffering a calf strain in the team’s regular-season finale on April 10 as the Mavs have built a 2-1 series lead without him.

Fans should be confident that Doncic is healthy if he takes the floor. The Mavericks do not want to risk him suffering a more serious injury, and they have made it clear that Luka would not play again until he is 100 percent. Having the lead in the series only further makes that possible, so expect a healthy number 77 if he returns on Saturday afternoon.

Doncic is officially listed as questionable for Game 4, but all signs point to him playing, so what should fans expect from Luka on Saturday afternoon against the Jazz?

What to expect from Luka Doncic in Dallas Mavericks playoff series vs. Jazz

Doncic destroyed the Jazz during the regular season. He missed the Christmas Day meeting in the health and safety protocols before going for 23 points and 11 assists in February. In the two contests at the American Airlines Center, Luka scored 32-plus and had over ten rebounds.

Utah has struggled to stop dribble penetration in the series, so fans should expect more strong performances from the 23-year-old superstar.

Doncic has not played in almost two weeks, so it will be worth watching how rusty he is to start the contest. Jalen Brunson has been the best player on the court in the last two games, so the Mavs could ease Luka back into action by letting JB do more early, but expect number 77 to take over in short order.

Here are three things fans should expect from Luka Doncic in his playoff return against the Utah Jazz.

What to expect from Luka Doncic in Dallas Mavericks vs. Jazz: 3. Hunting mismatches

Doncic is a master at defeating drop coverage. As the big man sinks into the paint, he begins to pull the tricks out of his bag. Drop too far and he takes an easy mid-range pull-up or wide-open 3-pointer. Try to cut off the mid-range and he blows by the big man and gets to the rim. Luka is a master at making the defense pay for playing drop, and that is Utah’s preferred coverage when Rudy Gobert is on the floor.

Doncic will force the Jazz to switch or hedge on pick and rolls early in the game, and then he will truly go to work. Fans know the 6’7 guard is one of the best players in the league at hunting mismatches, and the Jazz will offer plenty of opportunities to feast.

Expect Luka to attack Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, Donovan Mitchell, and even Rudy Gobert if the Jazz are willing to switch. Utah’s three guards do not have the size to stop Doncic from getting into the paint, and pulling Gobert away from the basket will open up the rim for others to score.

The Jazz have struggled to defend the Mavericks in this series, and things will only get better for Dallas with Luka Doncic back in the lineup.

What to expect from Luka Doncic in Dallas Mavericks vs. Jazz: 2. Luka being Luka

The Mavs made it clear that Luka would not return from his calf strain unless he was fully healthy. He has done 5-on-5 work since Tuesday, according to Marc Stein (subscription required), and all signs pointed to Doncic being ready for Game 3, but the team decided to hold him back and give him a few extra days of rest. Whenever he plays, there will be no added risk of re-injury, and number 77 will be a full go.

The team may decide to lighten his minutes in his first game back, but when Luka is on the floor fans should expect him to be Luka. He will be handling the ball and orchestrating the offense. There will be lots of pick and rolls and plenty of attacking against Utah’s weak perimeter defense. Doncic is going to be himself, and that should be a scary thought for the Jazz.

Luka is one of the best drive and kick players in the league. Defenses are forced to collapse to stop Doncic from scoring an easy bucket at the rim or finding the roll man for a dunk, which creates wide-open shots for his teammates.

Rudy Gobert has wandered into the paint too often in this series leaving Dallas with a plethora of uncontested 3-pointers. Luka will make those passes, which should only further complicate things for Utah. Expect Luka Doncic to be 100 percent and ready to lead the Dallas Mavericks offense whenever he takes the floor.

What to expect from Luka Doncic in Dallas Mavericks vs. Jazz: 1. Monster performances

Utah had no answers for Jalen Brunson in the last two games of this series. He became the sixth player since 1978 to produce at least 72 points and have one or fewer turnovers in two straight playoff games. JB is killing the Jazz with floaters and creating open triples all over the floor.

Luka Doncic is only going to make things worse for Utah. The 6’7 guard has the size to see over the defense and get all the way to the rim on his drives. The Jazz have no way of stopping him. LD is going to force Utah into mismatches and score at will. When they bring extra help, Doncic will kick to wide-open teammates for threes.

Luka is going to put up massive numbers in this series. Fans have seen him take his game to another level in the playoffs for two straight years, and the Jazz are the perfect matchup for Doncic becasue they do not have an elite defender like Kawhi Leonard to slow him down. Expect Luka to go for 40 points at least once in this series.

The Dallas Mavericks have struggled on the glass against the Utah Jazz, but Doncic will help them even things out. He is the team’s best defensive rebounder, and he will eliminate extra possessions for the opposition. Do not be surprised to see him grab ten-plus boards in every game as the Mavs need his rebounding.

Luka Doncic also makes the Mavericks overwhelming favorites to win this series. The Jazz have struggled to stop Dallas in the first three games, and it will only be worse with Luka. Expect monster numbers from the Mavs star as he leads Dallas into the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2011.