Clippers-Mavericks: 5 takeaways as Luka Doncic fuels Sport 5 win – NBA.com

Luka Doncic grinds by means of a dominant efficiency, whereas Dallas' protection stifles LA to take a 3-2 sequence lead.
Michael C. Wright
With Luka and Kyrie getting loads of assist from the function gamers, Dallas now has an opportunity to shut out the sequence at residence.
• Download the NBA App
LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic ambled off the ground for the night time, untucking his jersey with 5:39 left and his workforce main by 30.
That lopsided margin remained on the finish, because the Dallas Mavericks captured Sport 5 on Wednesday with a decisive 123-93 win against the LA Clippers. The victory offers the guests an 82.5% probability to take this series because it heads again to Dallas on Friday for Sport 6 (9:30 ET, ESPN).
Traditionally, Sport 5 winners of a 2-2 sequence advance at that 82.5% clip.
Dallas handed LA its worst loss in franchise postseason historical past.
Doncic scored 20 factors of his 35 factors within the second half.
“Within the playoffs, it doesn’t matter if you happen to win by one otherwise you win by 50,” Doncic informed TNT throughout his postgame interview. “It’s nonetheless an excellent win. However the job shouldn’t be accomplished. We have to win yet another.”
Listed here are 5 takeaways from the matchup:
1. Banged up Doncic is battling
Doncic led Dallas with 35 factors, seven rebounds and 10 assists. However his total sequence numbers point out he’s struggled.
Don’t low cost the attention take a look at, although, as a result of that factors to a franchise chief grinding exhausting to get it accomplished.
Doncic shot terribly from 3-point vary in Sport 5. He’s accomplished that every one sequence.
However keep in mind, Doncic sprained his proper knee within the opening quarter of Game 3. The setback has restricted his motion ever since, regardless of him taking in intensive therapy periods through the break between Video games 4 and 5.
Doncic admitted he’d “most likely not” proceed to play on the knee if the Mavs have been nonetheless within the common season.
That is the playoffs, although.
Doncic has responded accordingly on each ends of the ground.
The damage has affected the five-time All-Star’s manufacturing. Regardless of tallying his fourth profession postseason triple-double in Sport 4, Doncic entered Sport 5 taking pictures 38.6% from the sphere and 27.1% from deep.
Doncic didn’t hit his first 3 in Sport 5 till 2:22 remained within the third after lacking his first six makes an attempt from distance. We noticed a minimum of three cases within the first half the place Doncic struggled defensively to remain in entrance of his man.
In the end, he produced his fourth profession postseason outing towards the Clippers with 35 factors and 10 assists. Oscar Robertson is the one different participant in league annals with that stat line in 4 video games towards a single opponent (Boston).
Contained in the NBA: Mavs are at their greatest when Luka Doncic will get others concerned
2. Mavericks enhance on gradual begins
Dallas bucked its pattern of gradual begins, taking a 25-24 lead within the first quarter that swelled to 10 factors at intermission. Keep in mind: the Mavs hadn’t scored greater than 23 factors within the opening body of the primary 4 contests, averaging 19.8 factors on 35.9% from the sphere and 15.6% from deep.
The Mavs entered this one sitting at minus-36 within the first quarters of the sequence.
Credit score Doncic and Maxi Kleber with the increase. The duo mixed for nearly half of Dallas’ factors earlier than halftime. Doncic reeled off 15 factors on 15 field-goal attempts, whereas Kleber contributed 12 factors, taking pictures 4-for-6 from 3-point vary.
Doncic scored eight factors within the first quarter and dished three dimes to go along with 4 rebounds. Derrick Jones Jr. contributed seven factors over that span, making 3-of-4 makes an attempt with two blocks.
The matchup featured 12 lead adjustments within the first half.
The Clippers surrendered 10 factors off 5 turnovers.
Apparently, the same old suspects in LA didn’t present a lot scoring punch. Ivica Zubac and Terrance Mann did that with 13 and 11 factors, respectively, over the primary two quarters.
Stars James Harden and Paul George mixed to shoot 4-for-15.
Dallas launched into a 13-4 run to shut the primary half. In the meantime, LA missed 14 3s in a row to start out.
3. Taking pictures woes sink Clippers
You’d count on LA’s taking pictures to enhance with the sequence shifting to Crypto.com Area, the place the Clippers have been 31-23 getting into Sport 5.
It didn’t. In actual fact, it worsened.
That’s most likely irritating for LA, contemplating it’s 30-3 this season when it shoots 50% or higher. You would say the 3-ball has been key for the Clippers up thus far within the postseason.
LA knocked down 18 3-pointers in every of its wins on this sequence.
4. Possibly LA isn’t higher off with out Kawhi Leonard
The 2 LA wins this sequence with out Leonard amounted to idiot’s gold, partly due to James Harden’s decline in Sport 5.
Harden had established himself because the Clippers’ most constant performer by means of the primary 4 contests. In Sport 5, the 2017-18 Kia MVP disappeared, scoring seven factors on 2-for-12 shooting with 4 turnovers.
Harden’s groups at the moment are 4-8 all-time within the playoffs when he scores fewer than 10 factors.
“He didn’t shoot the ball effectively,” LA coach Tyronn Lue mentioned. “They tried to rise up and strain a bit of bit, which we didn’t deal with like now we have.”
No disagreement right here.
Within the two wins with out Leonard, Harden averaged 30.5 factors on 58.5% from the sphere and 62.5% from 3-point vary. Within the two losses with out the two-time Finals MVP, Harden averaged 21.5 ppg on 48.1% taking pictures (38.9% on 3-pointers).
Harden led the Clippers in ppg (26.0), made 3s (17 whole), apg (7.0) and bpg (1.3) over the primary 4 video games.
Dallas held LA to fewer than 95 factors for the third time this sequence. The Clippers scored fewer than 95 simply thrice within the common season.
5. Maxi Kleber caught 3-point fever
No. 7 in postseason minutes for the Mavericks going into Sport 4, Kleber proved to be the highest canine from deep in Sport 5. The seventh-year veteran scored 15 factors over the primary 4 video games of this sequence, draining 4-of-8 from 3-point vary.
Kleber matched his playoff whole in Sport 5 with 15 factors on 5-for-7 taking pictures from 3-point vary whereas the remainder of the workforce was 9-for-32.
Kleber was 4-for-5 from deep within the second quarter as Dallas constructed a 12-point lead.
* * *
Michael C. Wright is a senior author for NBA.com. You’ll be able to e-mail him here, discover his archive here and observe him on X.
The views on this web page don’t essentially mirror the views of the NBA, its golf equipment or Warner Bros. Discovery
 
 
James Harden steps up, Dallas can't fairly catch up and issues are wanting up for LA with the sequence now tied at 2-2.
The Mavs' bigs do injury on each ends vs. LA, Kyrie Irving delivers within the 2nd half once more and Dallas protects residence court docket.
Luka Doncic steps up down the stretch to energy Dallas' 96-93 win that spoiled Kawhi Leonard's return to the lineup.
The Mavs' standout playmaker has proven he has some expertise on protection within the postseason, too.
James Harden steps up, Dallas can't fairly catch up and issues are wanting up for LA with the sequence now tied at 2-2.
The Mavs' bigs do injury on each ends vs. LA, Kyrie Irving delivers within the 2nd half once more and Dallas protects residence court docket.
Luka Doncic steps up down the stretch to energy Dallas' 96-93 win that spoiled Kawhi Leonard's return to the lineup.
The Mavs' standout playmaker has proven he has some expertise on protection within the postseason, too.
LA's standout ahead will miss his third straight recreation because the Clippers attempt to prolong the sequence towards the Mavs.
The Cavs heart missed Sport 5 and didn’t apply with the workforce forward of Sport 6.
Brunson’s 41 factors & Hart’s clutch 3 assist Knicks clinch in Philly. Indy’s bench delivers the clinching residence win vs. Bucks.
Josh Hart hits the most important shot of his life, New York wins the vitality battle and Philly enters an offseason of uncertainty.
The New York-Indiana playoff rivalry is rebooted with an All-Star level guard matchup between Jalen Brunson and Tyrese Haliburton.
FantasyPros breaks down the highest DraftKings and FanDuel day by day fantasy gamers for Thursday's 2-game playoff slate.

source