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The Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks are the only first round series that has yet to end this 2021. This alone tells you how impressive, fun and gritty this series has been. It was one of, if not the most exciting first round series in the playoffs.
Moreover, the fact that a home team has yet to win shows the unpredictability of the contest.
Now that the series is tied 3-3 and there’s literally only one game to decide who advances, both coaches have to make their final adjustments. What should head coach Ty Lue and the Clippers do? Here are a couple of notes they should remember entering game seven:
Get the offense going at the beginning
If it weren’t for Reggie Jackson, the Clippers could have been sent home in Game 6. Jackson came out firing and ended up finishing the game with 25 points, nine rebounds and four assists. He was the unsung hero of the squad and was the role player the Clippers needed throughout the game. The trio of Jackson, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George scored 90 of the Clippers’ 104 points in the penultimate contest.
As great as Jackson was, it’s important to ask this question: What if Jackson didn’t go off in the first quarter? Who would’ve stepped up? It seems like the Clippers’ offense (which was one of the best in the league in the regular season) hasn’t always translated in the playoffs. Instead of depending on hero ball, the Clips must start the game like the best offensive regular season team they were in Game 7.
Capitalize on Luka Doncic’s fatigue
The Mavs have a heliocentric offense that revolves around Luka Doncic. The risk of this is when the “sun” burns out or wears down, the offense falters. And as amazing as Doncic is, his fatigue is evident especially in the fourth quarter.
Lue himself said that the Clippers’ game plan is to run Doncic in the ball-screen to wear him out even more on defense.
Ty Lue said he saw Luka appearing to wear down and so the Clippers wanted to run him through ball-screens to make him defend.
— Andrew Greif (@AndrewGreif) June 5, 2021
Doncic has scored just 29 points in the fourth quarter in the whole series so far. The Clippers must capitalize on this, especially in a Game 7 when the Mavs will probably go all-out. Leonard, in particular, can hunt Doncic in the fourth quarter. That’s what Klaw did in Game 6, scoring 45 points in one of his career best playoff games.
KAWHISENBERG pic.twitter.com/4eBzN5tj6F
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) June 5, 2021
Clippers role players just need to be better
There’s no guarantee that Jackson can go off at the start of Game 7. It’s a do-or-die fight and everything that happens could be unpredictable. This series has been all about which team’s role players have stepped up.
For the Mavs, it has been Tim Hardaway Jr but sadly for them, Kristaps Porzingis is nowhere near where Dallas fans want him to be.
Tim Hardaway Jr. this playoffs:
— 18.0 PPG
— 3.7 3PG
— 45.8 3P%Kristaps Porzingis this playoffs:
— 12.7 PPG
— 1.3 3PG
— 36.4 3P%Which player was thrown into the other player’s trade again? pic.twitter.com/BP8N1eCikr
— StatMuse (@statmuse) June 5, 2021
The Clippers, despite winning in Game 6, haven't gotten much from their role players as well. Jackson, Terance Mann, Rajon Rondo, Nicolas Batum and Ivica Zubac have to put their imprints early in the game to avoid a collapse in the fourth quarter. This showdown will be all about which team’s superstar shines the most and which role players make their presence felt. The Clippers have the clear advantage, but the question is: Will they show up in the most important moment of the series?
They have to if they want to advance to the second round of the Western Conference.
