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The first round duel between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Clippers is now knotted at 2-2. This means that the Mavericks just blew their 2-0 lead and fans are probably grabbing and tearing their hair out after the Game 4 blowout. It seems that Tyronn Lue and the Clippers have figured out the Mavericks.
But the worst thing the Mavericks could do is to panic knowing that they can and have defeated the Clippers. A closer look at the details would also reveal that the tides are also in the favor of Luka Doncic and company. It's just a matter of looking at them and appreciating them closely.
KP showing signs of life
From an individual standpoint, Kristaps Porzingis did well in Game 4. From a horrendous nine-point performance in Game 3, he dropped 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting on Sunday. He also had five rebounds and one block. He hasn't been the most consistent player despite being tagged as the Mavericks' second-best player behind Doncic.
This has driven some fans wild but looking at the positive aspect of things, his Game 4 performance could be a sign of good things to come. Besides, the Mavericks should be simply happy to have Porzingis on the floor and not out with an injury. Despite his lapses on defense, the mere fact he's 7-foot-3 with a massive wingspan brings inherent advantages. He's known to be an assassin from anywhere, which pretty much gives ample space for Doncic to operate.
Two-day rest for Luka
It was heartbreaking to see Luka Doncic favoring a neck injury for much of Game 4. He was able to squeeze out 19 points, six rebounds, and six assists, but he was 9-of-24 from the field and 1-of-7 from deep. More than the statistics, Doncic is the front and center of the Mavericks offense. When he's not at a hundred percent, the entire team suffers.
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Good thing, Game 5 will be on Wednesday, which means Doncic will have two days to rest and recover. The rest days are short in the NBA Playoffs. But Mavericks fans should feel at ease that Doncic was still able to play relatively well in Game 4 despite his physical setback. The team's medical crew will do everything to get Doncic to a hundred percent in Game 5.
3-point shooting isn't everything for Mavericks
The Mavericks shot 5-of-30 or 16.7 percent from downtown in Game 4. They're not the best three-point shooting team in the NBA but they're also not the worst. In the regular season, they were at a decent 36.2 percent clip from deep. It would be easy to nitpick and say that their poor shooting was the main reason for their loss.
However, looking at the other games, particularly Game 3, they shot a stellar 51.3 percent clip from downtown but still lost, 118-103. In Game 1, the Mavericks shot just 27.5 percent from downtown but won. This means that three-point shooting is very important as it keeps the defense honest. But the Mavericks have many other weapons up their sleeve.
A quick glimpse at the statistics reveals that the Mavericks need to keep the rebound battle close for them to have a chance. The Clippers have a bunch of active rebounders in Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac, Serge Ibaka, Paul George, and Nicolas Batum. But the Mavericks have proven they can go toe-to-toe with them in this department.
