Utah Jazz eliminated in first round of NBA Playoffs by Dallas Mavericks

Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson each scored 24 points and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Utah Jazz 98-96 on Thursday night in Game 6 to wrap up the first-round series. Photo: AP // Rick Bowmer

SALT LAKE CITY — Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson each scored 24 points and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Utah Jazz 98-96 on Thursday night in Game 6 to wrap up the first-round series.

After Brunson hit a 3-pointer from the corner, Mike Conley was called for traveling with five seconds remaining, and Brunson made one of two free throws with 4.3 seconds to play.

The Jazz got an open look for Bojan Bogdanovic on the left wing, but he came up short and the Mavericks moved on to face top-seeded Phoenix in the second round.

Doncic also had nine rebounds, eight assists, two blocks and two steals. Spencer Dinwiddie added 19 points, and Dorian Finney-Smith had 18.

Donovan Mitchell had 23 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for Utah, Bogdanovic finished with 19 points.

The Mavericks won in the first round for the first time since since winning the 2011 NBA championship.

Finney-Smith’s 3-pointer gave the Mavericks their largest lead at 88-80 before the Jazz scored eight straight — many coming off hustle plays as Utah played with desperation — culminating with a Mitchell-to-Gobert dunk.

The Mavericks found their range in the third quarter as they Jazz tried multiple defenses but somehow seemed to consistently leave someone alone behind the arc. Doncic had 10 points and Dallas made 8 of 12 from 3-point range to outscore Utah 36-19 in the third quarter.

TIP-INS

Mavericks: Dallas missed all 10 3-point attempts in the first quarter and the teams combined to start 1 for 17 from beyond the arc. … The Mavericks only shot 11 free throws, a series low. … Dallas again had single-digit turnovers, with just nine.

Jazz: Conley had eight assists by halftime but none in the second half. … Utah out-rebounded Dallas 48-37. Utah assistant coach Keyon Dooling was placed on administrative leave o Wednesday after being added to a fraud case concerning the league’s health and welfare benefit plan.

UP NEXT

The Mavericks and Suns will open the second round Monday.