NBA highlights on May 3: Finally, Doncic gets past Clippers, with Irving

The Dallas Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Clippers 114-101 in Game 6 of the NBA Western Conference first-round playoffs at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Friday, winning the series 4-2 and advancing to the Western semifinals.

Having lost to the Clippers in his first two postseason trips in 2020 and 2021, Luka Doncic finally beat the Clippers in the playoffs this season. He shot 9-for-26 from the field to drop a double-double of 28 points and 13 assists for the Mavericks in Friday's game. His offensive efficiency was not necessarily high, but the Slovenian superstar made good use of the opponents' excessive defensive attention to him to help his teammates, including Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, finish easy buckets next to the rim.

When big men could constantly ignite the crowd with explosive dunks, they were better-motivated to work harder on other things like defense and battling for offensive rebounds. The Mavericks led 18-16 on the offensive glass. Half of their offensive rebounds came from Gafford and Lively II. The team also limited the Clippers to 41.5 percent in field goals (FGs).

The Mavericks' surprising offensive contributor for Game 5, Maxi Kleber, played only five minutes on Friday night after spraining his shoulder, but P.J. Washington took over his load by knocking down four triples out of eight attempts, making the opponents pay for closing in from the two corners to protect the paint.

Most importantly, the Mavericks had Kyrie Irving to go to for both consistent and big scoring plays. Having left the stage for Doncic in the first half of Friday's game, Irving exploded to score 28 of his 30 points in the third and the fourth quarters. He made 10 of his 12 FGs in the second half, including a 3+1 play that turned the game into a long-gone conclusion in the fourth quarter.

The Clippers became the West's only team that lost in the first round despite the home court advantage. They continued to sideline Kawhi Leonard, which proved to be the correct decision by their win in Game 4. Nonetheless, coach Tyronn Lue decided to put 38-year-old P.J. Tucker in the starting lineup. It was a lethally wrong decision that cost his side Friday's battle. Tucker is no longer quick enough to guard either Doncic or Irving. Though he made two triples out of three attempts, the Mavericks' defenders didn't hesitate for even a second when they left him open to assist defense in the paint.

The Clippers trailed by as many as 13 points (46-33) in the second quarter, but managed to tie the score 52-52 in the second half with the squad of James Harden, Paul George, Norman Powell, Ivica Zubac and Terrence Mann. This combination had acceptable spacing for the pair of Harden and Zubac to release their offensive power. Both Powell and George would have better chances of launching attacks from the weak side. Zubac, George and Mann enabled the team to match opponents in size and athleticism.

However, when Lue used this lineup again in the second half, the Clippers were looking at a 24-point deficit (106-82) with 5:38 left in the fourth quarter. He did the right thing and sidelined Russell Westbrook in the fourth period, but habitually sent a small-ball lineup in which Tucker played center to the court. Before Lue realized his mistake and put Zubac on the court to fix it, Irving completed the significant 3+1 play right in in front of Tucker, extending the Mavericks' lead to the desperate 24 points.

The Mavericks will play the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western semifinals from Game 1 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on May 7.

Magic, Cavaliers to play only Game 7 in first round

The Orlando Magic defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 103-96 in Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference first-round playoffs at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, on Friday, tying the series 3-3. The only Game 7 of all first-round contests this season will happen at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sunday.

The Magic learnt their lesson from losing Game 5 and restrained themselves from double-teaming either Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland during most time on Friday night. As a result, Garland went 10-for-17 from the field to get 21 points. Mitchell made 22 of his 36 FG attempts to score 50 points. It was the third time in his postseason career to get 50 or more points in one game. He tied Allen Iverson with the third-most of such performances in NBA all-time history, behind only Wilt Chamberlain (four times) and Michael Jordan (eight times.)

Nonetheless, the Cavaliers lost Friday's game because Mitchell and Garland aside, the rest of the team shot 10-for-33 to get only 25 points, six assists and six turnovers. Furthermore, the Magic hid a defensive trick in their sleeves for Mitchell in the final minutes of the fourth period. He got all of the Cavaliers' final 22 points, including all 18 in the fourth quarter. In the final minute, the Magic had Jalen Suggs, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jonathan Isaac and Wendell Carter Jr. on the court. Suggs is the smallest of the five, but he is 1.96 meters tall. The other four are all 2.08 meters tall with quick footsteps.

In other words, the Magic sent a combination that could switch everything to shut down Mitchell at the final moments of the game. Even Mobley set a screen for him on the top of the key. Carter Jr. immediately switched, maintained between Mitchell and the hoop to both keep him from attacking the rim and stay ready to deflect 1.9-meter-tall Mitchell's shooting.

In the end, Mitchell tried to pass to Issac Okoro in the left corner, but it was intercepted by Banchero. That play marked the failure of the Cavaliers' final rally. Banchero, Wagner and Suggs combined to score 75 points for the Magic to win on Friday. Their side led 48-38 in total rebounds and 15-7 on the offensive glass. Their depth in the forward positions was key to their victory and the Cavaliers seemed to be at their wits' end.