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Luka Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to a Game 2 win against the LA Clippers. The MVP candidate stepped up on both ends. He led the team in scoring while also turning up the defense. He held Clippers scorers to 2-of-17 shooting while he was the primary defender.
Doncic also hit the clutch 3-pointer to ice the game over James Harden. The Mavericks now return to Dallas with the series tied and home-court advantage.
Mavs Beat writer Brad Townsend hosted a Reddit AMA. He had high praise for Doncic and his defense in the Game 2 win. The intensity Doncic brought was what really impressed the writer.
“You saw him barking at a couple of teammates for rotation breakdowns or fumbled passes. It reminded me of Michael Jordan, honestly, and I thought teammates responded in a positive way. When you bark at teammates for defensive lapses, you’d better make sure you limit your own lapses,” Townsend said.
The Slovenian is often criticized as a poor defender. However, Townsend, who has followed the team for decades, was not as shocked.
“I wasn’t surprised by the effort and intensity. We’ve been stretches of that this season. I was surprised that it was so sustained throughout Game 2,” Townsend said.
The question will be if Doncic can do it again. Game 2 was sluggish and turned into a defensive battle. If Doncic and others start hitting shots, Game 3 could turn into a more offensive showcase.
Doncic may have to go back to picking his spots on defense since he carries such a heavy load on offense. The Mavericks attack is so focused on Doncic that his usage frequently wears him out, causing his defensive energy to waver. It would be intriguing to see whether he can maintain the defensive effort he demonstrated in Game 2.
The Clippers clearly hunted Luka Doncic while on offense. They challenged his defense, given his reputation as a poor defender, and tried to tire him out to reduce his offensive production. LA will likely do that again, according to Townsend, despite Doncic’s incredible defense in Game 2.
Luka Doncic and Mavs host Clippers in Game 3
Luka Doncic and the Mavericks are slight favorites at home in Game 3 as they attempt to take control of the series. The game tips off at 8 pm ET on Friday, April 25.
Tim Hardaway Jr. will be a game-time decision after leaving Game 2 with an ankle injury. Both teams should be healthy otherwise, as Kawhi Leonard returned to the lineup in Game 2.
It was Leonard’s first game since the end of March. He may have a larger impact after having a game under his belt in Game 2. He will be tasked with slowing down Luka Doncic, who has averaged 32.5 points per game thus far in the series.
