Kljub črnim napovedim glede možnosti Dallas Mavericks za napredovanje v drugi krog končnice so Teksačani na krilih Luke Dončića še tretjič premagali Los Angeles Clippers in v seriji povedli s 3-2 v zmagah.
Slovenec je v 42 minutah in pol zbral 42 točk, osem skokov in 14 podaj (osebni rekord v končnici) ob 46-odstotnem metu iz igre (17/37) in 50-odstotnem metu izza črte (6/12).
Dončić tako še naprej ostaja nerešljiva uganka za tekmece, kar se odraža tudi v obrambnih strategijah trenerja Tyrona Luea. Tekom serije je namreč za pokrivanje 22-letnika zadolžil že celo vrsto najrazličnejših tipov igralcev, a je imel Dončić, ki so ga pokrivali Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Patrick Beverley, Reggie Jackson, Rajon Rondo, Nicolas Batum, Terance Mann in na trenutke celo Ivica Zubac, odgovore na vsa zastavljena vprašanja.
"Pa smo spet tam. Clippers ne igrajo z enakim zanosom kot v Dallasu. V tem trenutku nisem preveč prepričan v njihove možnosti," je zapisal uvodoma. "Napovedal sem, da bo imel Dončić pošastno tekmo. Je že začel. Pomagalo bi, če Reggie Jackson ne bi bil tako slab v obrambi."
"KAJ? NEŠPORTNA OSEBNA NAPAKA ZA MARCUSA MORRISA? SAJ SE ŠALITE! Sodniki bodo Dallasu na vsak način pomagali do zmage," je postajal vse bolj nervozen. "Dončić je zmešan. Hihita se in zmajuje z glavo, češ, saj me ne moreš pokrivati. Clippersi, boste to mirno požrli, kot ste naredili na prvi in drugi tekmi? DRVITE KATASTROFI NAPROTI."
"Tako kot vsi drugi so tudi Clippersi mislili, da je serija odločena. Igrajo brez žara ali vztrajnosti. Mavericksi igrajo čvrsto in se sprehajajo do koša. Boleče. Ne pozabite, da Dončić trojke zadeva le 33-odstotno, Mavsi pa so šele 18. ekipa v ligi. Zadnjih sedem četrtin so Mavsi v povprečju dosegali po 22 točk na četrtino. Clippersi so jim pravkar dopustili 35 točk. SLAB OBET. VELIKE TEŽAVE."
"Reggie Jackson me spravlja ob pamet, spravite ga že z igrišča. Clippersi izgubljajo po tri, štiri zaporedne žoge. Težko gledam. Tako površno. Tako brez navdiha. Brez ubijalskega instinkta. 'Air-ball' Ronda. Clippersi so pečeni. Izgubili so tretjič zapored doma. Ne verjamem, da lahko zmagajo še tretjič v Dallasu, kar pomeni izpad. Imeli so svojo priložnost. Želim si, da bi izgubili za 50 točk, saj bi bilo tako manj boleče. Dejansko so imeli možnosti. Primeren konec: 'air-bal' Kawhija. Rondo mu je dal vedeti, kaj si misli o tem. Toliko zgrešenih metov. Nobene hrbetnice. Konec je z njimi."
UH-OH: HERE WE GO AGAIN. CLIPPERS AT HOME ARE NOT PLAYING WITH THE SAME DESPERATE FIRE THEY DID AT DALLAS. RIGHT NOW I DO NOT LIKE THEIR CHANCES.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
I said on today's Undisputed that Doncic would have a huge night, and he's off to the races. Of course, it would help if Reggie Jackson didn't keep winding up guarding him.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
WHAT??? A FLAGRANT ON MARCUS MORRIS??? YOU ARE KIDDING. Refs are going to give Dallas every chance to win this game.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
Doncic and the Mavericks love shooting at Staples even more than the Clippers, who led the NBA in 3-pt and FT shooting.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
Doncic and the Mavericks love shooting at Staples even more than the Clippers, who led the NBA in 3-pt and FT shooting.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
Doncic out of his mind. Starting to giggle, shake his head like, "You can't guard me." You gonna take this, Clippers, like you did in Games 1 and 2??? YOU ARE HEADING TOWARD DISASTER.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
Clippers thought - like the rest of the world - this series was over. So they came out without life or fire or urgency. And now the Mavericks are playing harder, getting to the basket at will. Hard to watch.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
Remember: Doncic is a career 33% 3-pt shooter and the Mavs finished 18th in 3-pt shooting.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
Over the past seven quarters of this series, before tonight, the Mavs averaged 22 points per quarter. The Clippers just allowed them to score 35. BAD SIGN. BIG TROUBLE.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
Clippers are fine while Doncic isn't on the court laughing at them.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
Only way the Clippers survive this game is if Kawhi snaps out of it and gets going like he did in Dallas. I'm skeptical.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
That was an offensive foul on Doncic, but it will never get called.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
FOUL ON KAWHI. REFS LOVE THEM SOME LUKA AND MAVS.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
Reggie Jackson drives me crazy.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
Please get Reggie Jackson out of there.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
This is classic Are We There Yet? Clippers make a three, jump ahead, and think, "Is that enough?" NO. Then they turn it over three or four straight times and now they're in trouble again. Just so hard to watch. So sloppy. So uninspired. No killer instinct.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
The Clippers earned a reprieve in Dallas. Now they have lost Game 5, their third straight home loss in this series. I do not believe they can win a third straight at Dallas. Hence: elimination. They had their chance tonight. They gagged.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
GET KAWHI LEONARD OUT OF THERE. SERIOUSLY. HE'S AN OUT-OF-CONTROL DISASTER. MISSING SHOT AFTER SHOT IS ONE THING. JUST GIVING THE BALL AWAY AGAIN AND AGAIN IS UNACCEPTABLE.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
I wish the Clippers had lost this game by 50 so it wouldn't be so excruciating. They actually had their chances. Kawhi and George Paul shot them in the foot.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
Fitting finish: Kawhi air ball. And Rondo letting him know a out it.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
The Clippers had every opportunity to win that game and take control of this series. And they upchucked again and again and again. So many inexplicably careless turnovers. So many missed open shots. So little backbone. They are done.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 3, 2021
Bayless,se bo treba navadit.