NBA Playoffs 2020 update: Clippers in front again; Other game 5 results

After a keenly contested tie in four games between the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks, the favorite finally found some separation on Tuesday after a 154-111 dominant display in Dallas.

The Clippers absolutely blew out the Mavericks in Game 5 to take a 3-2 lead in the series but more importantly, they got a lot of their struggling players back on track.

Paul George and Montrezl Harrell combined for 56 points, and the team as a whole hit 22 3-pointers to not only take the lead in the series.

Paul George and Kawhi Leonard also became the first duo to score 30-plus points in 30 or fewer minutes, to send a statement to the underdog Mavericks that, despite the series so far, these teams are not close to even.

The Mavericks, meanwhile, have to go back to the drawing board after one of their worst losses of the season. Nothing worked defensively in Game 5. The offense struggled nearly as much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQr9pZFxBsA

While a few players can disappoint with a 22-point, eight-rebound and four-assist performance, Luka Doncic might not be allowed the same luxury as he has set the bar high even for himself in this series. More despairingly, he shot only 6-of-17 from the field.

Doncic also uncharacteristically missed five free-throws and five of his six 3-point attempts. The Clippers are responsible for that to an extent, trapping him in pick-and-roll far more aggressively than they had earlier in the series after their switching failed miserably.

More often, a lot didn’t go the way of the Mavericks and it’s left to be seen if they can force a Game 7 as they approach Game 6.

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Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic help Denver avoid elimination with Game 5 win

The Nuggets had themselves pegged to the wall with one final shot to finishing them off after losing three straight games to trail the Utah Jazz 3-1 in their first-round matchup.

However, the Denver Nuggets leaned heavily on Jamal Murray to get them back into this series, and for all its worth, he did not disappoint. He finished Game 5 with 42 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists as they won by 117-107 against the Jazz to keep the Nuggets hope alive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF9r2p__UYc

The Jazz still remains in firm control of the series, though, as they lead Denver 3-2, and while Jamal Murray’s outburst will get lots of attention in the win, Donovan Mitchell dropped 30 points of his own in helping the Jazz lead for most of the first three quarters. He can’t score 50 every night, but he’s proven consistently able to find the matchups that he wants through switches in this series.