A genius passed through the Staples Center last night, but not one of specific moments, but of those chosen ones that shine with a naturalness that scares. Luka Doncic was born for big nights, and although the sun was still shining in Los Angeles yesterday, this Slovenian prodigy did not take a single step back. First battle, first triple-double and first triumph in Californian territory by 103-113 to get ahead in the tie.
Everyone expects Luka to do this and that, but even with that knowledge and study of his movements … he is still unstoppable. Last night he concluded the first half with 21 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds, numbers that would basically be good for mortals, but that he dedicated himself to gaining weight to 31 points, 11 assists and final 10 rebounds. In five of his seven career playoff games he had 20 or more points at halftime; in three of them he has made a triple-double… As Guille Giménez says: “Locura Doncic”.
“We won the match. That’s all that matters to me. ” That was the reading that the Dallas point guard made of the game, and you can’t take an ounce of reason from him. A new triple-double elevates him, but even more so does the maturity he showed on the track. The second half was constantly lived under a double defense that not only did not make him despair, but also got his best reading of the game. During the last quarter he achieved a single point (from the personnel line), but at no time did he feel the need to force, not even when with three minutes left the scoreboard reflected a tie at 100. The ball moved and the Mavericks always found the best choice. It was a big difference from the Clippers, whose last attacks seemed to always go under a bias of nervousness and some need for the star to resolve.
“We are a force operation that must add numbers. Luka is a great player and Kristaps is too, but as a team we know that everyone has to be prepared and do their best when asked, ”says Rick Carlisle.
The prayers of the head coach of the Mavs were heard last night. In the fourth quarter, Jalen Brunson had 9 of his 15 total points, Dorian Finney-Smith and Tim Hardaway Jr. continued to make 3s (nine in total between the two) and Porzingis contributed another six points. It was a choral triumph, one that undoubtedly reinforces Dallas’ candidacy.
Doubts in Clippers
The Clippers don’t prevail. With the level of their players you know they can win, but months have passed and the team seems to still not work as such, or at least not at the level it should. Kawhi Leonard had 26 points and 10 rebounds. Paul George scored 23 after a good second half. They are not bad numbers, but then you review the last minutes of the game, the decisive ones, and that is that those figures (even if they were better) you have nothing.
From the tie at 100 at 3:12 left, we saw the following sequence: two missed free throws by Morris, triple missed by George, two missed shot by Leonard, single free throw scored from two attempts by Leonard, triple off George … They did not put one, but it is not that they did not enter, but it is that everything was clarified and forced shots. In a last possession, with almost no time to play, it is an option to give the ball to your best man and have him invent; with so much time ahead it is already much less. The silver lining is that the Clippers feel like they can turn it around. And so it is. It is only a defeat, however painful it may be.
“Our spirits are still high and we believe in ourselves. Achieving good things is never easy, “says Kawhi while George emphasizes:” My plan is that this team is going to recover. “
(Photograph by Harry How / Getty Images)
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