The Dallas Mavericks are closing in on what could be a major upset in the first round of the 2020-21 NBA playoffs after beating the LA Clippers 127-121 on Tuesday night. This was the Mavs’ second win against the Clippers on the road, and they now hold a 2-0 lead as the series moves to Dallas for Games 3 and 4.
The Clippers again didn’t have a response for Mavericks phenom Luka Doncic, who stole the show with a 39-point performance. LA head coach Ty Lue tried several tactics to stop Doncic, including occasionally assigning Kawhi Leonard, the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, on him, but nothing seemed to work.
When the Clippers managed to slow down Doncic’s scoring, he torched them in other ways. The 22-year-old star was getting his teammates involved, dishing seven assists while also grabbing seven boards in the process.
Doncic had help in Tim Hardaway Jr, who delivered an impressive outing of 28 points and six three-pointers. Kristaps Porzingis pitched in with 20 points, four boards, and three steals.
Kawhi Leonard headlined the Clippers by dropping 41 points, including 30 points in the first half, while Paul George scored 28 points and had 12 rebounds. Backup Reggie Jackson was the team’s only other player in double digits with 15 points.
Mavericks now have all the momentum on their side and will look to use the most of their chance to wrap up the series in front of their home audience. The Clippers, on the other hand, are on a five-game losing streak in the postseason (including last year) and are in danger of suffering yet another shocking playoff exit following last year’s meltdown against the Denver Nuggets.
