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'Playoffs are fun': Luka Doncic, Mavs use lessons learned in bubble to take 1-0 series lead over Clippers - The Dallas Morning News

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LOS ANGELES — When Paul “Playoff P” George’s 3-pointer with 25 seconds left clanged off the rim, sealing a result that already had become abundantly clear, Mark Cuban punched the air and hollered “Yeah!”

His victory yell and those of Mavericks players on the sideline resonated through otherwise-silent Staples Center, punctuating the shock effect of Dallas’ 113-103 victory Saturday over the Clippers in Game 1 of this first-round playoff rematch from last summer.

If any doubts lingered, Saturday underscored that these no longer are last year’s wobbly-in-the-clutch Mavericks. Dallas broke open a 100-100 tie by outscoring Los Angeles 13-3 in the final 2:51 — even though Luka Doncic, dominant for the first three quarters, scored one fourth-period point.

“Playoffs are fun,” said Doncic, whose 31 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds made him the ninth player in NBA history with multiple 30-point triple-doubles in the postseason. “They’re especially fun if you win, obviously, but it’s fun basketball.”

Doncic and the Mavericks clearly gained wisdom from last August’s 4-2 series loss to the Clippers in the Orlando bubble, and as a result Dallas finds itself in new, playoff-fun territory.

This is the first time the Mavericks have won the first game of a series since the 2011 Western Conference finals.

Only once before Saturday had the Mavericks led any series since their 2011 championship: That occurrence was April 26, 2014, when Vince Carter’s buzzer-beating corner 3-pointer gave Dallas a 109-108 victory over San Antonio and a 2-1 series lead.

“I think last year helped this year,” said Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith, whose 18 points included a 3-pointer that gave Dallas a 95-94 lead and another that broke the 100-100 tie. “When the game goes down to the wire and we know we’ve got to get that one more stop or that one more rebound.”

This was the kind of game Dallas wouldn’t have won last year. Not with Doncic shooting 0-for-5 in the fourth quarter and Kristaps Porzingis missing 10 straight shots before scoring six key fourth-quarter points.

But with Finney-Smith shooting 7-of-9, including 4-of-5 on 3-pointers, and Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jalen Brunson scoring 18 and 15 points, respectively, the Mavericks had ample firepower.

“When Luka gets going, me personally, I just try to stay ready, because I know they’re about to start trapping him,” Finney-Smith said. “That’s when he gets to finding people, slinging the ball across the court, finding guys in the open.

“Most times at the end of the game, people are trying to get the ball out of LD’s hands. Us four have got to be ready to shoot.”

Meanwhile, Maxi Kleber and Finney-Smith helped limit Clippers stars Kawhi Leonard and George to 26 and 23 points, respectively, on combined 17-of-40 shooting.

Now the Clippers, with their championship-or-bust expectations, face the pressure of losing homecourt advantage. In NBA history, teams that take a 1-0 lead in seven-game series have gone on to win 76.2% (425-133) of the time.

“Everybody was pretty up,” Leonard said of the Clippers’ post-game mood. “Nobody was really down on the game. Obviously, nobody wants to lose, but our spirits are still high and we believe in ourselves. Nothing good comes easy.”

As the Clippers prepare for Tuesday’s Game 2 in Staples Center, they’ll have to contemplate the reality that even when they threw a variety of defenses at Doncic, he punished them even when he wasn’t scoring by finding open Mavericks who repeatedly delivered big baskets.

“Look, this is his time of year,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s one of the smartest basketball players you will ever meet at any age, at any level, and he knows that we’ve got to be a next-man mentality team, and he’s got to be one of the leaders of that charge.”

When told of Carlisle’s assessment, 22-year-old Doncic said with a smile: “I hope that I’m at my best, but I think that’s far away. I’m only in my third season. So I’ve got a lot still to learn. We just go out there, have fun and try to win the game.”

In last summer’s Game 1, the Mavericks fell behind 18-2 before roaring back and scoring 48 of the next 66 points.

Saturday, Dallas jumped to a 24-12 lead. Although the lead dwindled, Dallas led after every quarter and the Clippers’ biggest lead of the afternoon was four points.

A COVID-19 health-regulations-limited crowd of 6,117 tried to implore the Clippers, but the atmosphere lacked the raucousness that certainly will be in American Airlines Center when the series shifts to Dallas for Games 3 and 4.

First, though, there will be a must-win Game 2 for Los Angeles but also another opportunity for Dallas to show how far it has come since the bubble. Why settle for a 1-1 Staples Center split now, when there’s more playoff fun in this building to be had?

Striking first

The Mavericks won Game 1 of a playoff series for the first time since the 2010-11 Western Conference finals. At look at the Game 1′s during that stretch:

Season Opponent Round Result
2019-20 at LA Clippers* First round L, 118-110
2015-16 at Okla. City First round L, 108-70
2014-15 at Houston First round L, 118-108
2013-14 at San Antonio First round L, 90-85
2011-12 at Okla. City First round L, 99-98
2010-11 at Miami NBA Finals L, 92-84
2010-11 Okla. City West. Conf. finals W, 121-112

*Played in NBA bubble in Florida

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket past LA Clippers center Serge Ibaka (9) during the second half of an NBA playoff basketball game at Staples Center on Saturday, May 22, 2021, in Los Angeles. The Mavericks won the game 113-103.

1/41Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket past LA Clippers center Serge Ibaka (9) during the second half of an NBA playoff basketball game at Staples Center on Saturday, May 22, 2021, in Los Angeles. The Mavericks won the game 113-103.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

More Game 1 coverage

— After taking series lead vs. Clippers, Mavs can claim home-court advantage like never before

— Despite ‘frustrated’ playoff return, Kristaps Porzingis’ late dunk and good health boosted Mavs’ upset win

— 3 thoughts on Mavs’ Game 1 win vs. Clippers: Luka Doncic unlocks new level of dominance

Find more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

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