Luka Doncic dropped 35 points in Game 5 to lead the Dallas Mavericks to a 123-93 win and help them take a 3-2 lead in their first-round series. The Mavs looked on fire right from the tip-off as they made buckets regularly but also contained the Clippers with great defense. Luka Doncic was reported to have trouble with his health, but it did not seem like it as he ripped the Clippers’ defense on the night.
The team from LA shot the ball at a disappointing 37.9% from the field, which indicates how good the Mavs were on the defensive end. Paul George and Ivica Zubac had 15 points each, while Terrance Mann, Norman Powell and Bones Hyland scored 11, 14 and 11 points respectively. The Clippers had the home advantage but seemed to be far off their best against the Mavericks’ energetic defense.
Everyone on the Mavs played their part well as they had six players get into double figures on the night. Maxi Kleber was on a hot from beyond the arc, shooting 5-7 from deep. Derick Lively II continued his impressive postseason run as he scored 12 points and grabbed 7 boards against the Clippers. Jaden Hardy also stepped up in the 5 minutes that he got off the bench to score 14 points to help the Mavs secure a 30-point win.
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are a lethal duo
Kyrie Irving had only 14 points in Game 5, but his impact proved to be pivotal for the Mavericks against the Clippers. The 2016 NBA champion made some tough shots to help the team from Texas demoralize their opponents. Although he had a rough shooting night, Kyrie made up for it with a stellar effort on the defensive end. He ended the game with a team-high plus-minus of +35.
While Kyrie was not at his best shooting the ball all night, Luka Doncic took things under control, shooting the ball 53.8% from the fled. The Slovenian was having trouble from the three-point line, but he found other ways to trouble the Clippers. Luka has not been happy about his performances in the series, despite averaging 29 PPG prior to Game 5. He certainly can be proud of his performance in LA as it has given the Mavs a 3-2 lead and puts them one step closer to winning an NBA championship.
Game 6 in Dallas is going to be an exciting matchup. It is going to be difficult to bet against the Mavericks as they have been brilliant throughout the series. However, the LA Clippers cannot be taken lightly in any regard. They have one of the best coaches in the game to add to their star power. Ty Lue has been in similar situations and also coached his way out of them. He will be motivating his troops to keep the past disappointments from this series behind and start afresh in Game 6.
