The first-round series between the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks certainly delivered. Perhaps even more so than most expected. It included stellar star performances, game-winning shots, ejections, and plenty of chippiness. It was clear from the very start that both teams knew what they were capable of. In the end, however, it was the second-seeded Clippers who were victorious by four games to two.
Los Angeles Clippers – Dallas Mavericks Playoffs Recap
Tightly Contested First Four Games
After four games, the series was tied at 2-2. The Clippers were dominant at times, but the Luka Doncic show was in full swing. At that point, the series could’ve gone either way.
Los Angeles won the first game by a score of 118-100. They started the game on an 18-2 run, but the Mavericks’ electric offense switched gears and the end of the first quarter saw Dallas up by four. The second quarter was dead-even, but it looked as if the Mavericks had momentum on their side.
Early on in the third quarter, Mavericks star Kristaps Porzingis was ejected for his part in a scuffle. The Mavericks were lost the rest of the third quarter, and although they showed fight in the fourth, the loss of their big man was too great.
Dallas won game two, with their offense putting up 127 points. Doncic struggled with foul trouble, but the supporting cast was excellent by all means. Game three went to the Clippers, and although the Mavericks kept it close, they couldn’t quite come back after Doncic left the game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.
Game four, from a neutral point of view, was the most entertaining game of the series. Porzingis was out for the Mavericks, so they were written off by many. Dallas was down by double-digits for most of the second and third quarters but mounted a terrific comeback to send the game into overtime. Doncic stole the show from there and won the game with an absolutely spectacular step-back three-point shot. It was “the shot heard around the bubble,” and the Mavericks were right back in the series.
Los Angeles Clippers Takeover
After game four, it looked as if anything was possible for Dallas. The Clippers, led by a notorious winner in Kawhi Leonard, were not going to let that happen.
Porzingis remained out for Dallas in game five, meaning the Mavericks were going to need another herculean effort from Doncic. Doncic had a decent game in terms of the box score, but Los Angeles dominated the game.
They took a 41-22 lead after the first quarter, and never looked back. The second and third quarters were tight, but the deficit was still overwhelming. Los Angeles quelled any hopes of a Mavericks comeback by shooting lights-out in the fourth quarter and putting up an additional 43 points. The Clippers won the game 154-111, the third-largest win in NBA playoff history.
Los Angeles repeated more of the same in game six. Although this time they only won by 14 points, they pretty much sealed the victory in the third quarter. Doncic turned in another outstanding performance, but the Clippers defense swarmed all other players and effectively shut-down the Mavericks’ historic offense.
Injuries, Individual Struggles, and Chipiness
Three players who greatly affected the series were Porzingis, Paul George, and Marcus Morris.
As mentioned earlier, Porzingis’ ejection in game one hurt the Mavericks’ chances of coming back. He dominated in games two and three, however, averaging 28.5 points and 10 rebounds per game. He didn’t play a single game after those three.
Porzingis was out for games four and five due to “knee soreness.” Eventually, it was discovered that he tore a meniscus in his right knee, which kept him out for the remainder of the series. His injury is the biggest “what if” in the series.
George struggled immensely throughout the series. In the first four games, he shot a combined 20-69 from the field. He dominated game five, however, scoring 35 points on 67 percent shooting. Although he wasn’t needed much offensively in game six, he had another poor shooting night (6-19). Geroge is going to have to improve down the road.
Morris performed well statistically. His antics on the court, however, were very questionable. He started a scuffle in game one, stepped on Doncic’s injured ankle in game five in a move that looked intentional to many, and was ejected in game six for a flagrant foul on Doncic. There’s a fine line between “doing the little things that matter” and being an instigator of issues on the court. Morris will have to keep that in mind down the road as well.
Top Performers
Leonard stole the show for the Clippers. His defense was top-notch per usual, and his mid-range game is nearly unstoppable. Throughout the series, he put up averages of 32.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. What is most impressive of Leonard’s game, however, is his ability to put games away. Game six of the series is the perfect example. The Mavericks mounted a comeback to cut the deficit down to six, but then Leonard came off the bench and brought instant offense.
Doncic was clearly the best performer for the Mavericks. He put up averages of 31 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 8.7 assists per game. He also shot better than usual, shooting 50 percent from the field and 36 percent from three. Doncic put up a show every night, but his game four performance was truly legendary. In that game, he scored 43 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, and dished out 13 assists.
If anything, two lessons were learned in this series. Leonard is on a mission once again, and Doncic is the future of the NBA.
Up Next for the Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers will face the winner of the Denver Nuggets and Utah Jazz series. Although Los Angeles will enter the series as the favorites, both the Nuggets and Jazz are threats.
Jamal Murray is blossoming into a true star before everyone’s very eyes. It almost seems as if putting up 40 points is a given for him in the playoffs. His play has been so amazing that he’s overshadowed All-Star Nikola Jokic. With that being said, Jokic remains one of the league’s elite big men.
The Jazz, on the other hand, also feature an electric scorer in Donovan Mitchell. Like Murray, he’s putting up points at an unstoppable pace. Rudy Gobert is also an anchor defensively, and a tough match-up for any team.
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