The Los Angele Clippers have struggled in the opening series against the Dallas Maverick. Game 5 was no different, as Dallas held onto the lead and took a 3-2 advantage. Luka Doncic has been the Mavericks' driving force, as he's keeping them competitive on a nightly basis. His 42 points, 14 assists, and 8 rebounds evening lifted Dallas over Los Angeles, putting the Clippers in a do-or-die position.
A few things stand out amongst the Clippers that have played a role in their struggles. First, Patrick Beverley's role has diminished, to the point where he only saw playing time for 11 total seconds for a defensive possession late in the game. Tim Hardaway Jr. is playing as the second scoring option for Dallas right now and the Clippers don't seem to have an answer for him. Lastly, Kawhi Leonard was cold from the field on Wednesday night, hurting the Clippers more than he was helping.
With that said, here are three adjustments LA must make in Clippers-Mavs Game 6.
Get Patrick Beverley involved
Patrick Beverley has served as the starting point guard throughout most of the season. However, since the playoffs began, we've watched him slowly lose playing time over the last five games. The team has opted to go with Reggie Jackson and Rajon Rondo more often, keeping Beverley away from the game entirely.
Jackson provides a change of pace and is a better scorer, while Rondo is a solid pass-first point guard that gets the ball moving around. Beverley is one of the better perimeter defenders in the league, and keeping him sidelined hasn't done much to benefit the Clippers. There isn't much LA can do to slow down Doncic, but Beverley would only help in that area. After struggling in Game 5, hopefully, the Clippers adjust and give Beverley the playing time to be a defensive specialist for this team.
Slow down Tim Hardaway Jr.
Slowing down Luka Doncic is basically impossible at this point, so the Clippers should look to lockdown his supporting cast. Hardaway Jr. totaled 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists on Wednesday night, ending the evening with the second-most points behind Doncic. Hardaway Jr. has been a huge help to the Mavericks' offense, as he's stepped up his game in the postseason to give Dallas the extra scoring they need to beat the Clippers.
By taking Hardaway Jr. out of the game with sturdy defense, all of the pressure is put on top of Luka Doncic's shoulders. The Clippers have already done a solid job slowing down Kristaps Porzingis, but Hardaway Jr. is almost scoring at will. Remove the other scoring options away and force Luka to do it all. It's the Clippers' best hope of winning Game 6.
Kawhi Leonard steps ups
Leonard had an abysmal night on Wednesday. Sure, he finished the game with 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, but he shot 7-19 from the field and 1-7 from beyond the arc. He shot a weak 36.8% in Game 5, which just won't cut it if the Clippers plan to move onto the second round. His horrific night was capped off with a game-tying three-point attempt that happened to be an air-ball.
It's been a rough series for this Clippers team, but if their superstar player performs like that again, then this team is doomed. Since joining the Clippers, Leonard hasn't seemed like himself, as he and the Clippers delivered a choke job in The Bubble last year as well. Luckily for LA, Leonard is a pro's pro and should bounce back in Game 6.
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