Hope seemed lost when Marcus Morris hit a three to put the Clippers up 18-2 over the Mavericks with 8:30 left in the first quarter. Luka Dončić had already turned the ball over 5 times in the first 4 and a half minutes of the game. This game, and potentially the series, looked like it could be a blowout.
But something clicked.
The Mavericks rallied back with lights out 3-point shooting to end the quarter up 38-34. The hot streak continued, putting the Mavs up 14 at one point in the 2nd. They entered halftime with a three-point lead.
KP was given a technical after shoving Marcus Morris and was promptly thrown out of the game in the 3rd. Players and fans alike were confused at whether a simple push was enough to constitute a technical, and consequently an ejection, considering it was Porzingis’ second T of the game.
After that point, the Clips outscored them 52-39 and ended up securing the win 118-110.
However, there is absolutely some potential for the Clippers to be in trouble for this series.
Lethal offensive production
Luka Dončić went nuclear in the absence of Porzingis and led the game with 42 points. Luka is not normal. At 21, he set the record for most points in a playoff debut. He’s taken a huge step up and is a MIP candidate after an already stellar rookie year. Dončić is one of the most complete players in the league and has been the main factor of Dallas building the best offense of all time. No, really.
Their offensive rating of 116.7 is even higher than the 18-19 Warriors, who posted a still ridiculously high 115.9. Also, Dallas was third in PPG for the regular season at 116.9, behind only Milwaukee and Houston.
The Dončić-Porzingis connection has been lethal, combining two of the most unique players ever, hence KP’s “Unicorn” nickname. Porzingis’ height and shooting ability paired with Luka’s all-out offensive attack has made them the 5th highest scoring duo in the NBA, ironically tied with the Clippers at 47.9 PPG.
Beyond the stars
The Mavs role players have really shown out, too. Tim Hardaway Jr. has become an excellent 3 and D player, transcending his normal role of being a bench scorer. Seth Curry has entered the starting lineup, adding almost 13 PPG with phenomenal 3 point shooting. Dorian Finney-Smith has also come into his own, a staunch defender who isn’t bad shooting from the field.
If Porzingis doesn’t get ejected, the Mavericks probably win that game. Luka alone was doing enough to keep it close until the end, cutting the lead to 4 with 27 seconds left. He proved to be a headache for one of the best defensive teams in the league. Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and Patrick Beverley are three of the NBA’s elite perimeter defenders. Luka was breezing through them with ease. Nobody can line up with Porzingis’ dominating height. Zubac is their closest match standing at 7’0, but KP averaged almost double the minutes Zubac did in the regular season.
What’s ahead
Taking the first game would’ve been absolutely huge, giving a ton of momentum to a team that was already playing hot. However, it’s only been one game and it’s a long series.
Charles Barkley might think the Blazers are on upset alert in their series versus the 1-seeded Lakers, but Dončić and Co. might be able to fly under the radar and steal this round. I know Dallas has been one of the worst clutch teams in the association this year, but anything can happen. It’s mid-August and we’re having playoff basketball in the middle of a pandemic. Nothing can be ruled out.
It can be taken with a grain of salt considering I’m an 18-year-old who’s wrong most of the time, but my gut and a $15 bet tell me that the Mavericks could sneak the upset.
