Mavericks season comes to end after game 6 loss

Image
  • Mavericks season comes to end after game 6 loss
    Mavericks season comes to end after game 6 loss
Subhead

Doncic posts 38-point performance

Body

ORLANDO, Fla.—Trailing 3-2 in a best of seven series, the Dallas Mavericks entered Sunday’s elimination game knowing they needed a win to keep their season alive. Dallas lost game five in a blowout to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, 154-111.

The Clippers’ Paul George got things started Sunday, knocking down a jump shot on the opening possession to put the Clippers up 2-0. George had a huge 35-point performance in game five after underperforming in the first four games of the series. Los Angeles went on to score the next five points to open the game with a 7-0 lead.

The Mavericks tied things up for the first time in the game with 1:07 remaining in the first quarter when their star player, Luka Doncic, was fouled by the Clippers’ Marcus Morris. Morris was given a flagrant 2-foul call and was immediately ejected from the game. Morris and Doncic have had a long back-and-forth throughout the series.

Doncic made both free throws to make the game 27-27. Mavericks’ small forward Dorian Finney-Smith scored on an assist from Doncic on the next play to give Dallas a 29-27 lead. Doncic knocked down a 3-pointer with 35.2 seconds left, and Boban Marjanovic threw down a dunk in the final seconds of the quarter, giving Dallas a 34-29 lead heading into the second quarter.

The Clippers defense came to life in the second quarter, holding the Mavericks to just 17 points in the frame. The Clippers scored 28 of their own and took a 57-51 lead into the half. Things got ugly really

Things got ugly really quickly to start the second half, with the Clippers extending their lead to 77-54. The Mavericks were able to pick it up in the final minutes of the frame thanks to the help of their leader, Doncic, who scored nine points in the final 1:30 of the quarter. Dallas was able to cut the deficit down to 11 points, trailing 85-74 entering the fourth quarter.

With 9:28 remaining in the game, Doncic hit a step back 3-pointer to bring the Mavericks within six points. The Clippers were able to hold the Dallas run off, however, and went on to win the game, eliminating the Mavericks, 111-97.

Doncic led both teams with an impressive 38 points. He also had nine rebounds and nine assists. For the series, Doncic averaged 31 points, 9.8 rebounds and 8.7 assists. He became the fifth player in NBA history to average at least 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists per game in a playoff series.

For the Clippers it was their star, Kawhi Leonard, who led the way, finishing with 33 points. He shot 14-23 from the field and also pulled in 14 rebounds. Leonard dished out seven assists and had five steals in the game as well.

The Clippers advance to the Western Conference Semifinals where they will face the winner of the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz. That series will begin on Thursday at 8 p.m. and will be aired on TNT.