We finally got a signature Luka Doncic game in Game 5 and as a result the Mavs completely ran over the Clippers 123-93 and now they are on the verge of advancing to the next round as they host Game 6. Bothered by a knee injury, Doncic shot the ball poorly in all 4 games prior to Wednesday’s win, but he exploded for 14 makes on 26 attempts and also dished out 10 assists. Five other Mavs scored in double figures, that type of team effort isn’t seen often from a team that predominantly relies on just two superstars. Closing out the Clippers comes down to experience and they have plenty of that going into Game 6. Playing at home should be a plus, but it doesn’t guarantee anything as the Clippers have already won twice in Dallas this season.
After combining for 66 points in Game 4, Paul George and James Harden laid an egg on Wednesday combining to shoot just 6-for-25 and 22 points. With Kawhi Leonard being out you’d expect their two best players to step up when it matters the most, but for some reason they could just never get going. Tonight’s game is a due or die situation, there could be some drastic changes in the offseason if either one of the two pulls off a disappearing act. The only reliable scorer so far in the series for the Clippers has been center Ivica Zubac, but they tend to shy away from him, especially in 2nd halves of games. In total 3 of the last 5 second halves have gone the Mavs’ way, that’s definitely something to think about if you’re head coach Ty Lue here.
