The Mavericks Gallop Past The Clippers: Story of the Series
The Dallas Mavericks have eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers, moving on to the second round of the NBA Playoffs. Read on for a recap of the series
In a league where most players are friends with one another, there are few rivalries that genuinely earn that title in my mind. One of those includes the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Clippers. Ever since the 2020 playoffs where Luka’s Mavericks squared off against the Kawhi and Paul George-led Clippers, these two teams have clashed in the playoffs time and time again. Each series has had its fair share of memorable moments and heated interactions, all wrapped up in series that would go close to the full seven game limit or right up to it. And this year would be no different.
Game 1 was a blowout win in favour of the Clippers. Despite not having their star Kawhi Leonard, as has unfortunately become the norm, Los Angeles would be led to a win nonetheless due in no small part to great games by James Harden, Paul George, and Ivica Zubac. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic would have stellar games in their own right, with both of them dropping over 30 points, but it would not be enough to win the game. Or even keep it close for that matter. As the final buzzer sounded and the 12 point win was recorded in the NBA annals, one thing became certain for me; if the Mavericks wanted to win they would need more from other players, not just their star backcourt. Conversely if they kept placing all their hopes in Luka and Kyrie, they would likely lose the series. And that wasn’t a knock on them. But in a five-on-five game, if only two of your players can come up big, odds are you’re probably not going to go far.
Game 2 would see Kawhi Leonard return to his home floor, a rare sighting as of late. Immediately I had a feeling this game would go down to the wire. While their durability and consistency is questioned constantly, at times even ridiculed, the Clippers when healthy are as star-studded a roster as they come. The opening tip would shortly lead to a dunk in favour of the Mavericks, giving them the first lead of the game. What would follow was an intense, back-and-forth affair. Despite leading for much of the game, the Mavericks would find themselves behind late in the third as the Clippers went on a sizeable run. Thanks to key contributions from Paul George, Ivica Zubac, Russell Westbrook, Dereck Lively, and Norman Powell, the Clippers would take a six point lead with about nine minutes to go in the last quarter of play. With the threat of going down 0–2 in the series coming closer and closer to fruition, the Mavericks would fire back. Fast forward to about a minute and a half left in regulation, and Luka would work some of his patented ‘Luka magic,’ draining a near 30-foot stepback to put Dallas up 9 points. With such little time left, I assumed the game was over. But you know what they say about making assumptions. Sure enough, with 20 seconds remaining both teams would be separated by just three points. Ultimately it would be a pair of late game freethrows made by Kyrie Irving that would put the game out of reach, tying the series up heading back to Dallas.
In the third game of the series, tempers would flare between competitve spirits. In a hard-nosed game reminiscent of the vaunted 90s era of basketball where defense reigned supreme, the Mavericks would buckle down on that end of the floor. Despite flurries of offense from the Clippers, specifically James Harden who would nail several three pointers, the defense of the Mavericks would ensure that every bucket the Clippers got was hard earned, draining their energy while also landing heavy blows that chipped away at their opponent. At one point frustration would get the better of noted firebrand Russell Westbrook. After committing a blatant foul by hooking Luka Doncic’s arm, the two guards would get into it before P.J Washington would push Westbrook away. Whether this was an antagonistic move or simply meant to separate the guards made no difference as Westbrook would get into it with Washington as the Dallas crowd roared all around them. Ultimately Westbrook and Washington would both be ejected, leaving the game as the Mavericks would maintain a double digit lead up until the final buzzer.
To make matters worse for the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard’s lingering knee problems would lead to him missing the fourth game of the series. This was one of the worst possible scenarios for the team. With the threat of going down 3–1 in the series a very real possibility, being at less than full strength would surely be an insurmountable mountain to climb.
Or so we thought.
In game 4, Los Angeles would edge out a five point win over Dallas due in large part to the stellar games of Paul George and James Harden, both of whom scored 33 points each along with a bevy of other contributions. Despite a forty point game from Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks would be unable to win this one even with a late game layup from Irving putting them up by one. In this game, Doncic would have an uncharacteristically bad showing, going just 1 of 9 from the three point line and shooting just barely over 40 percent from the field in total.
With the series evened up and going back to L.A for game 5, we would take another trip down memory lane, to one of the most legendary performances of the widely recognized G.O.A.T of basketball. Even if you never watched him play, odds are you have heard of Jordan’s ‘flu game,’ where in game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals, Jordan would will the team to a win despite his condition dropping 38 points to take a 3–2 series lead for the Bulls. 27 years later, Luka Doncic would walk into Staples on a sprained right knee and reportedly ill. He could have chosen to sit and prioritize his health. But Jordan was not that type of player. And neither is Luka Doncic, who would proceed to finish this game with 35 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds, and more than half of his fieldgoals made. While none of his teammates would have notable individual performances, the team seemed to rally around the young superstar, hounding the Clippers on both ends of the floor. Where in a previous game Harden and George would be otherworldly, this game would see them both wilt, the pair of them making a combined 6 shots out of 25 they took over the course of the game.
Which took us to game 6, where the Mavericks would send their opponent on vacation. With their home crowd cheering them on, the Dallas Mavericks would trounce the Los Angeles Clippers 114–101. In a neatly poetic touch, the story of this game would be Kyrie Irving. Years ago, Irving would leave Cleveland to strike out on his own and be the ‘number one’ for a team. In the following few years he would face criticism for his inability to lead and incendiary comments in both Boston and Brooklyn, before eventually ending up in Dallas last year via a trade near the deadline. At the time many felt that Dallas was doing Doncic and the franchise a disservice. Many felt that the guards would be solid on offense sure, but defense would be a problem as would potential conflicts in terms of who would be the primary ballhandler and ‘leader.’ Despite being seen as Luka’s team, were the Mavericks courting chaos by bringing in Irving? Many pundits at the time suggested yes.
Yet Kyrie would prove them all wrong time and time again. Unlike previous years where he was constantly in the media for all the wrong reasons, Kyrie would maintain a poise and focus many claimed he could not have. And in game 6, Kyrie would lead the team to a win. And what would he do when a microphone was put under his lips in the postgame interviews?
Praise his teammates, their on court chemistry, and proudly speak about playing high level defense as opposed to scoring. To sum it up in a phrase, he spoke like a leader.
It has been a pleasure to see Kyrie grow as a player and a person over the years. From a hot young star desiring to be ‘the man,’ to now speaking humbly and giving credit to his teammates, the leaps and bounds he has made have been massive. He has openly noted that this is Luka’s, not showing the same pride he did in years past. And he has shown both willingness and ability to exert himself on the defensive end when he knows that his team needs him to do so if they are to be successful. Actions speak much louder than words, and leadership follows this principle. The Mavericks have now moved on to the conference finals, where a difficult opponent lies in wait. With just four wins needed to punch their ticket to the Finals, we can only wait and see what happens. But for what it’s worth, I think the Mavericks are ready.
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