Jazz Mavericks Basketball

Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell is defended by Reggie Bullock of the Mavericks during Game 1 of a Western Conference first-round playoff series Saturday in Dallas. Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

DALLAS — Donovan Mitchell scored 30 of his 32 points after halftime, Bojan Bogdanovic finished with 26 and the Utah Jazz opened the playoffs with a 99-93 victory Saturday over the Dallas Mavericks, who were without injured All-Star guard Luka Doncic.

Bogdanovic had Utah’s only two 3-pointers before halftime, in a 13-2 run over the final 3 1/2 minutes that put the Jazz ahead to stay. Mitchell, who always seems to step up in the postseason, came alive after the break.

The fourth-seeded Mavericks, starting the playoffs at home for the first time since their NBA title season 11 years ago, sorely missed their 23-year-old superstar. Doncic strained his left calf six days earlier in the regular-season finale. Coach Jason Kidd has said only that he is day to day.

Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Monday night in Dallas.

Jalen Brunson, the starting point guard with Doncic out, had 24 points on 9-of-24 shooting with seven rebounds. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 22 points, Reggie Bullock added 15 and Dorian Finney-Smith 14.

With Doncic in a black hoodie on the bench, the Mavericks cut an 11-point deficit midway through the fourth quarter to 92-91 on a 3-pointer by Maxi Kleber with 2:12 left. After Mitchell missed, the Mavs had a chance to take their first lead in the second half, but Kleber missed badly on another long-range shot.

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Royce O’Neale then scored his only basket for the Jazz – a 3-pointer from the corner after he first missed inside and then got a pass from Mitchell. Utah finished with a 20-7 edge in second-chance points.

Utah’s Rudy Gobert had 17 rebounds.

The Jazz, who were second in the NBA with 14.5 made 3-pointers per game, missed their first nine shots from beyond the arc until Bogdanovic hit from the right corner in front of the Dallas bench to get them within 41-35 with 3:10 left in the second quarter.

Bogdanovic made another with 2.2 seconds left for a 45-43 lead after taking a pass from Mitchell.

76ERS 131, RAPTORS 111: Tyrese Maxey had the breakout game of his young career, scoring 21 of his playoff career-high 38 points in the third quarter to lead Philadelphia to a Game 1 victory over visiting Toronto.

James Harden had 22 points and 14 assists in his first playoff game as a Sixer. Joel Embiid, the NBA scoring champion, had 19 points and 15 rebounds. They combined to make only 11 of 32 shots.

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But Tobias Harris scored 26 points for the Sixers, who haven’t gone past the second round for the first time since 2001. They host Game 2 on Monday.

Pascal Siakam scored 24 points for the Raptors, who lost rookie Scottie Barnes to an ankle injury.

TIMBERWOLVES 130, GRIZZLIES 117: Anthony Edwards scored 36 points in his postseason debut, and seventh-seeded Minnesota stunned No. 2 seed Memphis in the opener of their first-round Western Conference series.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 29 and 13 rebounds. Malik Beasley had 23 points.

The Timberwolves, fresh off beating the Los Angeles Clippers in a play-in game, won their first playoff opener since 2004 against Sacramento.

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Memphis.

Ja Morant led Memphis with 32 points and eight assists, and Dillon Brooks added 24 points. Brandon Clarke had 13 points and 12 rebounds off the bench.

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