LOS ANGELES, CA — Following incredible performances by Paul George and James Harden, the LA Clippers tied their series up against the Dallas Mavericks going back home in a crucial Game 5. What ensued is nothing short of shocking.
The Clippers suffered their worst home playoff loss in franchise history, dropping Game 5 to Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, 123-93. Doncic put on a show, finishing the night with 35 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists.
What surprised everyone and no one simultaneously were the stinkers George and Harden put up in the same contest. In Game 4, the duo combined for 66 points on 23-of-36 shooting. In Game 5, the duo combined for just 22 points on a combined 6-of-25 shooting.
“We just, it was just an uncharacteristic game,” George said after the loss. “And we got to be better. We got to be better going into Game 6.
“I think to start, I could have done a better job of just making plays, taking what the defense gave me. There was a lot of opportunities for kick-outs that I missed, that I thought we could have took advantage of. But, you know, I tried to score and make, you know, be aggressive offensively to score, more so than start off being aggressively offensively to create.”
Harden, who had a solid series scoring the basketball, had his worst game by far, finishing with just seven points and seven assists on 2-of-12 shooting from the field. His floater game was not there and he missed six of his seven three-point shot attempts.
Harden declined to speak to the media after the embarrassing loss, but George says he knows there's a bounce-back game coming from the three-time scoring champion.
“I mean, he's one of the elite scorers,” George added. “It's not much that needs to be said. He's one of the best at putting the ball in the basket. It's just one of those nights, some nights are tough. But he’ll be better. He's got every tool in his tool set to get shots and create and score the ball. So it's more so just letting him know we all in this together. We all in this together. We’ll climb ourselves out of this hole. But again, it just starts with getting this next win.”
The Clippers' backs are against the wall now in Game 6 vs. the Mavericks
Kawhi Leonard is not walking through those doors anytime soon with a healthy knee. The Clippers have who they have now until Leonard's stubborn inflammation subsides to the point where he's able to play basketball and move the way he wants to.
That puts a lot on the shoulders of Paul George, James Harden, and Tyronn Lue. So how do you get past a game as deflating as this?
“Mentally knowing that if we lose Game 6, our season's over,” Lue said. “So if you're a competitor, and you know what the playoffs are all about, then you will be ready to go on Friday.”
George added that at this point in his career, he doesn't feel pressure anymore.
“I think the beauty of it is the older I've gotten, the less pressure it's been, honestly,” George said. “I think when it comes down to it, you work your tail off all summer. You train for these moments to where if you fail, you fail, but you just go out there and you give it all you have. Live with the results.
“But as far as pressure, not anymore. I don't feel that pressure anymore. I'm not out there to prove nothing to anybody, but what I do want to do is just go and show up for my teammates, leave everything on the floor like I said, and just try to be a leader and live with the results. I'm going to play as hard as I can game six and give us the best chance I can give ‘em to go and get a win in Dallas.”
The Clippers' potential last gasp will take place in Friday's Game 6 at 6:30 PM PST. Kyrie Irving, Luka Doncic, and the Mavericks are in prime position to close this series out at home and advance to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
“We're not going to hang our heads,” Lue said. “We got to win four games. We go to Dallas, Game 6 on Friday and we'll be ready to go.”
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