Three Things to Know: Doncic shreds Jazz pick-and-roll defense. A playoff preview?

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There is no good way to defend Luka Doncic in the pick-and-roll. Go under, and he steps back and drains threes. Switch and he blows by big men for layups. And the real problem starts if a team does a good job to slows Doncic — he is more dangerous as a passer out of the pick-and-roll than as a scorer.

A look at the Synergy stats — as Andy Larsen shows at the Salt Lake Tribune — says the best strategy is to have a defender fight over the pick while a big is in his path so there is no straight line drive to the rim, then have everyone else on high alert to cut off passes and rotate.

Here’s the problem for Utah — and one that could be a real issue come the postseason as right now this is the 4/5 playoff matchup in the West — the Jazz don’t really have a guy good at fighting over picks, and they can’t switch Rudy Gobert on him every play (it’s a good crunch-time strategy, though). Royce O’Neal is Utah’s best on-ball defender, but he’s not the small and agile type that fights over picks all that well.

Doncic carved up the Jazz for 35 points and grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds Monday night, leading the Mavericks to a 111-103 victory over the Jazz. The win puts the Mavericks just half-a-game back of the Jazz for the four seed and home court in the first round (Dallas has won five in a row).

Things got a little heated between Doncic and Gobert when Doncic drew a foul with a flop.

Gobert and his elite defense have caused the Mavericks problems in the past because he can stay back and protect