Luka Dončić Leads the Dallas Mavericks to a Commanding 3-2 Series Lead
After losing Game Four in the final minutes, Luka Dončić and the Dallas Mavericks redeemed themselves by beating the Los Angeles Clippers 123-93 in Game Five. The Mavericks will now head back to Dallas for game six in hopes of finishing this series and preparing for the Oklahoma City Thunder. NBA history tells us that when a series is tied at 2-2, the winner of game five wins the series 81.7% of the time. With the uncertainty surrounding Kawhi Leonard's knee, things aren’t looking good for the Clippers.
In the first quarter, both teams showcased a display of elite shot-making. Ivica Zubac dominated the quarter with eight points on 4-4 shooting. Dončić finished the quarter with eight points and four rebounds, a team-high in both stats. Although both teams started hot, eventually they cooled down at the end of the quarter. Dallas finished the quarter shooting 10% from the three-point line and 46.2% from the field, and the Clippers shot 37.5% from the three-point line and 45.5% from the field. The Mavs led 25-24 after the first. The second quarter was when the game started to trend towards the wrong way for the Clippers. James Harden and Paul George combined for six points in the second quarter, shooting 2-5 from the field. Maxi Kleber, who is averaging six points per game this series, scored 12 points in the quarter shooting 4-6 from the three-point line. To put things in perspective, Klebers' four three-pointers in the quarter were more than the Clippers made in the quarter as Los Angeles could not get one three to fall. Led by Klebers’ sharpshooting, Dallas went into the half leading 56-46. The third and fourth quarters were more of the same thing, Clippers struggling on offense and Dallas getting anything they wanted on offense. The Mavs outscored the Clippers 33-23 in the third quarter, giving them a comfortable 20-point lead. Harden again scored only two points in the quarter and it was clear he wasn’t going to get out of the slump. George scored eight points in the quarter but it wasn’t on a good efficiency (40%). Nothing worth noting happened in the fourth quarter. The game got to the point of no return and the Clippers ended up losing 123-93.
Luka Dončić finished the game with 35 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists. Kleber, George, and Zubac all scored 15 points, tying each other for second in-game high. Something to keep in mind while watching Game Six is Paul George and James Harden's contract situation. Both George and Harden have deals that expire this summer, and if they lose in the first round Steve Ballmer may consider letting both of them walk.
