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Both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George turned up on Friday night as the LA Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks 104-97 on the road. It was another tightly contested affair that went down to the wire, but the visitors eventually escaped with a win to force the first Game 7 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
The crowd at the American Airlines Center exploded with raucous applause on many occasions as the Dallas Mavericks and LA Clippers exchanged quick buckets to start the game. Luka Doncic looked ready for another offensive outburst too.
Things didn't go as planned for the Dallas Mavericks as they lost their grip on the game after a good start and the LA Clippers tied the series at 3-3. This is the first time in NBA history that all the first six games of a series have been won by the away team. On that note, let's look at the five talking points from tonight's fixture.
#1 Contrasting games for Kawhi Leonard and Luka Doncic
While Luka Doncic got into his rhythm in the early moments of the game, Kawhi Leonard struggled to lead the charge for the LA Clippers. Doncic made several mid-range shots and finished with 11 points in the first quarter.
In comparison, Leonard had just three points in the first 17 minutes as he struggled to penetrate the Dallas Mavericks' zonal defense. The script flipped from there on out as The Klaw went berserk. He managed to get to his spots and scored 13, 17 and 12 points in the second, third and fourth quarters respectively.
Leonard went 5-of-5 in the final period. With the score reading 92-88 in the LA Clippers' favor, he dropped two back-to-back three-pointers to give his side the ultimate cushion. He tied his playoffs career-high by scoring 45 points on 72% shooting.
Meanwhile, Luka Doncic was forced to turn more passive as both Kawhi Leonard and Marcus Morris put the clamps on him. Doncic managed just six points in the second and third quarters. He had 29 points, 11 assists and four boards overall, but couldn't turn up when the Dallas Mavericks needed him the most.
#2 LA Clippers turn the tide in the fourth quarter
The Dallas Mavericks had all the momentum heading into the fourth quarter. They led by four points and they were scoring at all three levels efficiently. But Tyronn Lue made the necessary adjustments and the LA Clippers amped up their defensive intensity as a result.
The Dallas Mavericks shot just 7-of-24 from the field in the final period as the LA Clippers outscored them 31-20, thanks to Kawhi Leonard's late outburst. Some of the blame has to be attributed to the Mavs as well, who missed several open looks down the stretch.
#3 Paul George shows his versatility against the Dallas Mavericks
Paul George was inefficient from the field for the majority of the game. Things reached a standstill in the third quarter for George, who recorded a solitary point during this period and went 0-of-4 from the field.
But this time, PG13 showed his versatility instead of dropping shoulders. He played elite defense and contained the Dallas Mavericks' frontcourt players. George even ran the LA Clippers' offense in the third quarter and recorded four assists. He was solid on the glass during this period and grabbed five boards.
Paul George finally found his shooting rhythm in the fourth and scored eight points, including the ultimate go-ahead basket for the LA Clippers. He troubled the Dallas Mavericks with his two-way ability, finishing with 20 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three blocks.
#4 Reggie Jackson and Tim Hardaway Jr. prove their mettle
Both Reggie Jackson and Tim Hardaway Jr. have proved that they're more than just role players. Jackson broke into the starting lineup midway through this series and led the LA Clippers' charge early in the game as he started 6-of-6 from the field. He finished with 25 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Tim Hardaway Jr. also bounced back after struggling from the field for three straight matchups. Hardaway Jr. had 23 points on 9-of-19 shooting, but he was especially instrumental in the third quarter where his versatile scoring got the Dallas Mavericks going.
#5 Benches a no-show for both teams
It's common for team rotations to narrow down to eight or nine players in the postseason, with starters playing the majority of the minutes. Even then, you expect the bench players to provide some offensive firepower. That wasn't the case for both the LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks tonight.
The second units of both teams combined for a measly 19 points. The situation was particularly terrible for the LA Clippers, whose bench accumulated just four points in Game 6. The Dallas Mavericks' bench also managed to shoot a paltry 33% from the field only.
Both LA Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks cannot allow this to become a recurring theme, especially with a do-or-die Game 7 coming up on Sunday.
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