Lakers Rumors: Anthony Davis unlikely to play Game 5 with groin strain - Silver Screen and Roll

The news we were all sort of expecting — but dreading all the same — has dropped, as Shams Charania of The Athletic is reporting that Anthony Davis is unlikely to be able to suit up for the Lakers when they face the Phoenix Suns in Game 5 of the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Charania broke the news on Twitter on Monday morning, before the Lakers’ Memorial Day practice:

Lakers star Anthony Davis is unlikely to play in Game 5 vs. Suns on Tuesday due to strained groin, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. There’s optimism about Davis‘ status as series continues and as he is evaluated day-to-day.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 31, 2021

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN followed up with a few more details:

All this follows multiple reports over the course of Sunday night that Davis has a Grade 1 groin strain, and will be considered day-to-day moving forward. Our own Dr. Rajpal Brar already broke down what this diagnosis could mean for Davis and the team moving forward earlier this morning.

Davis finished out the final minute or so of the first half of Game 4 with the injury, but did not return after halftime. In his absence, Kyle Kuzma started the second half, while Markieff Morris also got some playing time. For any time Davis misses, expect those two to see a minutes bump, as well as the possibility of Montrezl Harrell making his way back into the rotation as the Lakers look for scoring out of the frontcourt. It might make sense to play Harrell for any minutes Deandre Ayton isn’t on the court, and Marc Gasol for the majority of the rest of the time at that position for his spacing and passing.

In the aftermath of Davis’ injury, the Lakers were defiant. LeBron James and Frank Vogel insisted that James could still carry the team if necessary, while Marc Gasol said that he and his teammates had zero doubt that they had enough to win, even without Davis.

Will such bravado prove right, or be revealed as the mere bluster of true competitors who don’t lose faith in themselves? If Davis really can’t go, we’ll find out when the Lakers tip off Game 5 at 7:00 p.m. in Phoenix on Tuesday. That game can be viewed nationally on TNT, and locally on Spectrum SportsNet.

This story will be updated with more information as it develops.

For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow Harrison on Twitter at @hmfaigen.

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'We're just going to ignore that?' - Stephen A. calls out Mark Cuban and the Mavs | First Take - ESPN

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The timeline for Anthony Davis’ Grade 1 groin strain, explained - Silver Screen and Roll

Lakers big man Anthony Davis injured his left groin at the tail end of the first half during Game 4 of the Lakers’ playoff series against the Suns, coming down awkwardly after a missed shot attempt at the rim.

Following halftime, Davis did not come out with the team for warm-ups and attempted to keep himself loose on the bicycle in the home tunnel at Staples, but continued to have pain. Following further medical examination, he was ruled out for the game.

After the game, multiple reports revealed that the dynamic big man would be “day-to-day” moving forward with a Grade 1 groin strain. In the following video, I explained the injury, and what that timeline means for Davis’ playing prospects as the playoffs move forward.

Whether Davis is able to go in Game 5 or not, the Lakers’ role players will have to pick up the slack and not only connect on the very make-able shots they’ve been clanking all series — outside of Marc Gasol and Wes Matthews — but pick it up in all facets, along with LeBron using those broad shoulders to go into overdrive.

Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT has a doctorate in physical therapy from Northern Arizona University, and runs his own in-person and online sports medicine and performance business, 3CB Performance, in West LA and Valencia, CA in which he further combines his movement expertise and fitness training. He also works at a hospital — giving him experience with patients in the immediate healthcare setting and neurological patients (post stroke, post brain injury) — and has been practicing for 4 years. Brar is additionally training at UCLA’s mindful awareness research center (MARC), has a background in youth basketball coaching and analyzes the Lakers from a medical and skills perspective for Silver Screen and Roll and on his own YouTube Channel. You can follow him on Twitter at @3cbPerformance.

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The timeline for Anthony Davis’ Grade 1 groin strain, explained - Silver Screen and Roll
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How concerned should the Lakers be about Anthony Davis' injury? | KJZ - ESPN

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Kawhi Leonard (29 PTS, 10 REB) Registers Double-Double in Win vs. Dallas Mavericks | LA Clippers - LA Clippers

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LIVE UPDATES: Jazz vs Grizzlies - NBA Western Conference playoffs first round 2021 - Rappler

Still, this is the same Grizzlies squad that knocked out MVP finalist Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors from playoff contention just a few days ago, so the Jazz cannot let their guard down by any means. No team, no matter how high it is seeded, is safe.

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Mavericks' Luka Doncic acknowledges nerve issue, downplays impact on 'terrible' game - ESPN Philippines

1:06 PM PHT

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic downplayed the impact of his cervical strain on a Game 4 outing he described as "terrible," but he acknowledged after Sunday's 106-81 loss to the visiting LA Clippers that it's a nerve issue.

"The pain is like neck and then the nerve down," Doncic said. "I don't really know how to explain that. It felt way better today morning than yesterday. I'll just keep doing massages, ice it down and then be ready for Wednesday."

Doncic was limited to 19 points on 9-of-24 shooting and six assists in the series-tying defeat. He averaged 38 points and nine assists while shooting 51.9% from the floor in the first three games of the Western Conference first-round series.

• 

On several occasions during Sunday's contest, Doncic grimaced in pain, sometimes doubling over. He did so in the middle of an offensive possession in the second quarter after firing a pass from the right wing to the left corner.

"He's in pain," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "It appeared to me that he couldn't turn left, couldn't look to his left. He couldn't turn his neck to his left, and that's difficult for a guy that relies on peripheral vision and basically has played his whole life with his head on a swivel.

"We've got to hope in the next couple of days that he can get better, hopefully substantially better. There is a two-day break between games, which is a positive in this case."

Doncic's neck started bothering him around halftime of the Mavs' Game 3 loss, during which he had 44 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. He said the pain began shooting down his left arm.

Doncic was listed as questionable for Game 4, but there was little doubt he would play. He declined to discuss how the injury impacted his performance.

"I don't think that matters right now," Doncic said. "We lost. Injuries are part of basketball, but I was 100 percent. I played terrible, so just gotta move on to next one."

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Nonito Donaire back as World Champion | Newday - CNN Philippines

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#4 CLIPPERS at #5 MAVERICKS | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | May 30, 2021 - NBA

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LeBron James is confident he can carry Lakers without Anthony Davis - Silver Screen and Roll

It was clear that LeBron James wanted to keep things close to the vest. As he addressed the media after a Game 4 loss to the Phoenix Suns that saw him lose his co-star, Anthony Davis, to what the Lakers are currently saying is a groin strain, James batted nearly every question away with practiced precision, giving a short answer or coachspeak cliche and keeping it moving.

How will his role change if the series moves forward without Davis?

“We’ll see.”

What will it take for the Lakers to get back on track offensively?

“Sometimes it just comes down to knocking down shots.”

Does his previous groin tear in 2018 affect his optimism about how quickly Davis can get back?

“I don’t know the severity of his injury, and until we know, I’m not gonna comment.”

But there was one topic James did feel comfortable discussing. When asked if he could still carry this team to victory without Davis at 36 years old, he lapsed into more cliches about how he wants to put the Lakers into a position to be successful, but by the end of his answer left no doubt that he feels he can still singlehandedly will them to said success if necessary.

The man who famously said these Lakers are “built different” still feels like he is, too.

“These shoulders were built for a reason,” James said. “If it takes me putting some more on top of them, so be it. Win, lose or draw, I’m ready for the challenge.”

It’s no surprise James is confident. He’s been left undermanned before, and that hasn’t always been a positive for his opponents, something head coach Frank Vogel volunteered during his own postgame session with the press. And it’s Vogel’s past as a James opponent that has given him optimism the Lakers can be set up for success, even if Davis misses time.

“You know, when I competed against the Miami Heat and either (Dwyane) Wade or (Chris) Bosh was out, and there were more touches for LeBron, that wasn’t always necessarily a good thing for my Pacers teams,” Vogel said.

This isn’t that version of LeBron, something even LeBron himself willingly admits. He’s 36 years old now, and around two years removed from a groin injury that he volunteered that he’s never been quite the same since sustaining.

But while he continues to feel the toll of fighting a multi-front war against Father Time, the remaining discomfort from the high ankle sprain that sidelined him for nine weeks this season and the circumstances of the shortest turnaround in NBA history, James made it clear he still thinks like he can get the job done when he was asked if he could draw on past experiences where he’s been undermanned, like those games against the Pacers that Vogel mentioned.

“Well, I mean, the best teacher in life is experience. So me personally? I look forward to the challenge. However the hand is dealt, I’ll be ready to play it,” James said.

If that’s the case, that’s good news. Because James and the Lakers are running short on a lot right now. Stars. Healthy players. Chances to end this series. But if there’s one thing he has in abundance, it’s experience. And if he can use it to carry this team to victory in Game 5, then the Lakers will have a little more time to replenish their reserves of everything else they’re missing.

For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow Harrison on Twitter at @hmfaigen.

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Nonito 'The Filipino Flash' Donaire captures WBC Bantamweight title | ANC - ANC 24/7

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Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic cleared to play Game 4 vs. LA Clippers - ESPN Philippines

1:53 AM PHT

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic will play Sunday against the visiting LA Clippers in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series despite a strained neck, the team announced.

Doncic had been listed as questionable leading up to the game.

After the Mavs' Game 3 loss Friday night, Doncic said he started experiencing pain in his neck around halftime and that the discomfort went down his left arm.

• 

"It's just weird," Doncic said after his 44-point, nine-rebound, nine-assist performance. "Just some massage, some ice and, hopefully, it will be good."

Doncic has averaged 38.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists in the series, guiding Dallas to a 2-1 lead.

The Mavs have outscored the Clippers by 25 points in 117 minutes with Doncic on the court in the series and have been outscored by 19 in the 27 minutes he has rested.

Dallas also announced that Maxi Kleber (right Achilles soreness) will be available while JJ Redick (right Achilles injury) will miss Game 4.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon contributed to this report.

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Lakers Injury Report: Anthony Davis day-to-day with groin strain - Silver Screen and Roll

Anthony Davis went to the ground grabbing his left thigh after taking a tumble following a driving layup attempt in the closing seconds of the first half against the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of the Lakers’ first round series. After being evaluated in the locker room, the Lakers star did not return for the second half, with the team saying he has a left groin strain and will miss at least the rest of Sunday’s game.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Davis will be day-to-day moving forward.

After the game, Lakers head coach Frank Vogel would not specify what type of imaging or other evaluation the medical would be doing on Davis for the rest of the day.

“He’s undergoing further medical evaluation and we’ll have more information tomorrow,” Vogel said.

Davis already looked slightly limited in the first two quarters while trying to play through a knee sprain, and had 6 points on 2-9 shooting in 19 first half minutes before getting hurt. Vogel said he didn’t know until midway through the third quarter that Davis would not return for the game, but he felt like his star already was “laboring” through his knee issue.

“He was saying that his knee was sore, but that there was no way he was not going to play,” Vogel said. “I thought he gave a heck of a run at it trying to compete through pain.”

The Lakers were promptly outscored 27-15 in the third quarter after Davis exited, and ultimately lost the game 100-92 to even up the first round at 2-2.

It is unknown how long Davis will be out, but groin injuries do not typically come with a rapid recovery time. The next few days will be stressful for the Lakers, and anyone who roots for them. And if they’e missing Davis for Game 5, Vogel acknowledged they may have to go deeper into their bench.

“You look deeper into your bench to see if other guys are needed more now if he’s out for Game 5, and you make those decisions accordingly,” Vogel said.

Davis left the arena without speaking to the media, so his thoughts on all this will remain unknown.

With Davis out and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (knee contusion) already missing this game, the Lakers were down two of their regular starters against the Suns. Wesley Matthews started the game in Caldwell-Pope’s place, and Kyle Kuzma took Davis’ spot to start the second half, with Markieff Morris coming in for just the second time this series as extra forward depth later in the third quarter.

Game 5 will take place in Phoenix on Tuesday.

This story will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow Harrison on Twitter at @hmfaigen.

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Will Luka Doncic Play? Mavs vs. Clippers Game 4 Preview - Sports Illustrated

DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks host the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 4 of a very spirited NBA first-round playoffs series, with the Sunday night meeting at the AAC representing a chance to push the Mavs lead to a 3-1 advantage. The road team has won each of the first three games, including the Clippers win on Friday in Dallas, 118-108.

Luka Doncic's domination has been nothing short of spectacular but his health is in question for Game 4. The Mavs star has totaled 114 points, 26 rebounds and 27 assists in three games vs. LA, becoming the first player in NBA history to produce those numbers through their first three games of a playoff series.

INJURY REPORT: Doncic has been listed by the Mavericks as “questionable” for Sunday’s Game 4 due to a cervical strain - the medical term for a strained neck. Maxi Kleber (Achilles) is "probable."

“It’s not the shoulder, it was the neck … at halftime … and it’s just weird,” Doncic said after Friday’s Game 3 loss to the Clippers. “I turn and it’s weird, Exercise. I don’t know what you call it but a massage and some ice and hope we’re good.”

More updates to come on Luka (who is expected to play) and more as DallasBasketball.com will be inside the AAC all day and night to bring them to you.

[READ: A Luka Flaw, A Missing Unicorn]

COMING SOON: After Game 4 on Sunday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, the teams travel to Los Angeles to play Game 5 on Wednesday at 9 p.m. CT at the Staples Center. Game 6, if necessary, would be back in Dallas on Friday.

ODDS: The Mavs entered the day as 3.5-point underdogs to the Clippers, and the total over/under is 221 total points, odds by FanDuel.

RECORDS: DALLAS MAVERICKS (42-30) (2-1) VS. LA CLIPPERS (47-25) (1-2)

WHEN: Sunday, May 30, 2021 at 8:30 p.m. CT

LOCATION: American Airlines Center (Dallas, TX)

TV/RADIO: TNT, BSSW, ESPN 103.3 FM, Univision 1270 AM

FINAL WORD: “It’s important to be aggressive, but maintain your poise, and I think that’s going to be a big key as we head into Game 4," Coach Rick Carlisle said. 

[LISTEN: Mavs Step Back LIVE: Doncic Needs More From Porzingis in Game 4]

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#2 SUNS at #7 LAKERS | FULL GAME HIGHLIGHTS | May 30, 2021 - NBA

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Chris Paul May End Up Being The Reason The Los Angeles Lakers Eliminate Phoenix Suns - Forbes

For all of the flaws that the 2020-21 Los Angeles Lakers have, those deficiencies might not cost them when it comes to defeating the Phoenix Suns.

As the Lakers enter their Game 4 matchup against the Suns, they’ve taken a 2-1 series lead after losing Game 1 in embarrassing fashion, 99-90.

And while the Lakers will essentially close the series with a 3-1 series lead, here’s why it’s hard to see the Suns winning this series — Chris Paul’s nagging shoulder injury.

Make no mistake about it, while Devin Booker may be the flashy, go-to player for Phoenix, it’s been Paul that has catapulted the Suns from a non-playoff squad into being an elite one in the Western Conference.

Phoenix was able to overcome a hobbled Paul in Game 1 as they rode hot playoff debuts by both Booker and DeAndre Ayton — combined with lackluster, non-aggressive efforts by LeBron James and Anthony Davis — to victory.

But it’s becoming clearer with each game that Paul is a liability.

Unless the Suns outright limit Paul’s playing time, their season ironically may be over because of the guy that pushed them over the hump in the first place.

The Lakers have not been playing excellent ball by any means in their past two victories — they’re just riding James and Davis’ hot play in spite of their role players’ never-ending lack of offensive efficiency.

Outside of Davis (11-of-22 shooting) and James’ (9-of-19) efficient shooting efforts, Los Angeles went 18-of-45 from the field (40 percent) and 6-of-21 from the three-point line (28.5 percent) in Game 3.

Game 2 wasn’t a much different story. Outside of their powerful duo, the Lakers went 20-of-49 (40.8 percent) from the field and 4-of-20 from the three-point-line (20 percent).

Most importantly, the Lakers continue to win with a throwback, physical style that overshadows their flaws on offense. Despite a lack of quality perimeter shooting, the Lakers are simply winning games by punching it down the Suns’ throats.

The Lakers scored 42 points to the Suns’ 40 points in the paint in Game 2. They then took it to a whole another level in Game 3 by scoring an astounding 58 points in comparison to the Suns’ 38 points in the paint.

While the Lakers have seemingly increased their dominance in the paint with each passing game, the Suns have quickly regressed.

After scoring 52 points in the paint in Game 1, Phoenix has been unable to come close to matching those totals in the two games since.

A lot of that has to do with Paul’s nagging shoulder injury and his inability to simple make any plays because of it. Paul’s limitations in this series reached a high in Game 3 when he registered a game-worst minus-2o plus-minus rating in just 27 minutes of playing time.

Because Paul can’t shoot — or make any long-distance passes with the same accuracy as he’s used to — the Lakers have packed the paint.

For the series, Paul is averaging 6.7 points, 6.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game on 38.1 percent from the field with one three-point shooting attempt.

In other words, the Suns are losing games because of Paul.

As of this writing, Paul is considered “questionable” for Game 4 due to a shoulder injury.

But the damage may already be done.

At the age of 36 with no NBA Finals appearances to show for it, we know how badly Paul wants a championship ring before he rides off into the sunset.

This season likely represents his last best chance to accomplish that objective.

However, his competitiveness is to the detriment of the Suns’ chances at winning this series.

The Lakers may be flawed as a whole, but the Suns’ weaknesses due to an ailing Paul may end up being their downfall.

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Is Luka Doncic playing tonight against the LA Clippers? | 2021 NBA playoffs - Sportskeeda

The Dallas Mavericks lost to the LA Clippers in Game Three of their first round of the NBA playoffs. The result saw their lead trimmed to 2-1 for the series.

Luka Doncic has been the Mavericks’ best player by quite a comprehensive margin all season, and has scored 114 points in three playoff matches so far. However, fans were concerned after Doncic suffered what was later confirmed to be a cervical strain. As a result, the Mavericks’ star man was listed as questionable for Game Four.

In this article, we look at whether he will be expected to feature in the crucial match against the Clippers.

NBA Playoffs 2021: Is Luka Doncic expected to play against the LA Clippers in game 4?

Luka Doncic has been listed as questionable by the Dallas Mavericks but is expected to feature in Game Four. He has averaged 38 points, 8.7 rebounds and nine assists in three games so far. The Serbian shooting guard is crucial to the Dallas Mavericks’ hopes of getting past a strong LA Clippers side featuring two of the best two-way players in the league.

Doncic finished with a stat line of 44 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the last game. He waged a lone war against the LA Clippers, who did a decent job of restricting the Mavericks’ other shooting threats all night. Regardless, Doncic said the following after Game Three,

"It's just weird. Just some massage, some ice and hopefully it will be good."

Head Coach Rick Carlisle also aired similar optimism, saying he expects Doncic to feature in Game Four. Regardless, the Dallas Mavericks are expected to be tight-lipped about Luka Doncic’s fitness. Despite being listed as questionable, he can be expected to feature in Game Four.

Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis

The series started off in brilliant fashion for the Dallas Mavericks, but the LA Clippers hit back in Game Three after a spirited defensive performance. With the series now in the balance at 2-1, the Mavericks’ best players should all play an important role in Game Four. Keep an eye on their main man, Luka Doncic.

Published 3 hr ago

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Donaire stops Oubaali in 4th, becomes oldest bantamweight champion - ESPN Philippines

12:49 PM PHT

• Carlo Pamintuan

Nonito "The Filipino Flash" turned back the hands of time with a vintage performance to win the World Boxing Council bantamweight championship with a fourth-round knockout of Nordine Oubaali of France at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.

Donaire said coming into the fight that Oubaali is such a textbook fighter that he knows exactly where to catch him. The Filipino Flash studied his options in the first two rounds and attacked when he had the distance all figured out.

Oubaali started the match with a lot of activity as he threw multiple right jabs to set up his straight. Donaire was more economical with his punches but he landed solid right straights later in the opener.

The second was similar to the first with Oubaali doing much of the pressing. He was throwing more but Donaire was trying to figure out his timing as he was sitting on his counters, adding a little bit of power as he got more and more confident.

CARSON, CALIFORNIA - MAY 29: Nonito Donaire celebrates his fourth round KO win against Nordine Oubaali during their WBC World Bantamweight Championship bout at Dignity Health Sports Park on May 29, 2021 in Carson, California. Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

And then, in a flash, Donaire reminded everyone why he will go down as one of the greats.

Donaire scored a knockdown with 45 seconds remaining in the third round from his vaunted left hook. Oubaali managed to beat the count and even rocked the Filipino with a left straight but Donaire scored an ever bigger knockdown right at the bell with another left hook.

The referee deemed that the punch came before the bell and gave Oubaali an eight-count. The defending champion was on wobbly legs and appeared out of it but was allowed to continue.

The round break, however, was not enough for Oubaali to recover as Donaire jumped on him in the fourth round. A hook-straight-uppercut combination downed the French fighter for the third time with the referee waving off the count.

The official time was 1:52 in the fourth round.

History made ✅ @filipinoflash is champion again! #OubaaliDonaire pic.twitter.com/Kjwgq9WqGp

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) May 30, 2021

"The king has returned," Donaire proclaimed after the win as he broke his own record in becoming the oldest fighter to win a world championship in the bantamweight division at 38 years of age. He took the distinction away from fellow Filipino legend Gerry Peñalosa, who was 35 when he won the WBO bantamweight crown with a knockout against Jhonny Gonzalez back in 2007, in 2018 when he beat Ryan Burnett in the World Boxing Super Series just 13 days before his 36th birthday.

"The human body is an incredible machine if you take care of it and we can only be as strong as our mind can be," Donaire said after the match. There were a lot of questions about ring rust heading into this match as he was coming off an 18-month layoff after losing to Naoya Inoue in Japan, but he showed that he was able to take care of his body well during his time away from the ring.

Punch Stats

Punches	Oubaali	Donaire
Total landed	33	74
Total thrown	144	183
Percent	23%	40%
Jabs landed	15	6
Jabs thrown	55	49
Percent	27%	12%
Power landed	18	68
Power thrown	89	134
Percent	20%	51%
-- Courtesy of CompuBox

Donaire raised his record to 41 wins with 27 knockouts against six defeats while Oubaali suffered the first loss of his career in 18 fights.

"I knew what his pattern was," Donaire explained after the fight where he landed a whopping 68 of 134 power punches. "I knew what he was going to do. He was showing his disadvantage in terms of his weakness and that's why I got to counter him with the left hook."

Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

Asked what his next plans would be, Donaire made it clear that he only had a single target in mind: unified WBA and IBF bantamweight champion Inoue

"That's why I wanted to win this fight," he said. "The only thing I have not accomplished is becoming undisputed and the next phase is getting the rematch."

Inoue is scheduled to defend his titles against his IBF mandatory challenger Michael Dasmariñas of the Philippines with WBO bantamweight John Riel Casimero also chasing a mega-fight with The Monster.

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NBA: Donovan Mitchell takes over late, powers Jazz past Grizzlies - ABS-CBN News

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket as Memphis Grizzlies center Jonas Valančiūnas (17) defends during the third quarter during game three in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs at FedExForum. Petre Thomas, USA TODAY Sports/Reuters

Donovan Mitchell completed a three-point play with 4:04 remaining and the top-seeded Utah Jazz survived a late challenge from the host Memphis Grizzlies for a 121-111 win in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Saturday night.

Mitchell saved 10 of his game-high 29 points for the final four minutes, during which the Jazz outscored the Grizzlies 14-2 to go up 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

Game 4 is scheduled for Monday night, also at Memphis.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Down by 11 to start the fourth period, Memphis used a 13-2 burst to draw even for the first time all night at 98-all.

The teams then battled to six ties in the quarter until, after Ja Morant gave Memphis its final lead at 109-107 with 4:27 to play, Mitchell flipped in a driving hoop on which he was fouled by Jonas Valanciunas. 

The subsequent free throw gave Utah a lead it never relinquished.

Mitchell made it a four-point game with a 3-pointer, Rudy Gobert added a layup and Mitchell hit four straight free throws as Utah pulled away to another double-figure lead and coasted home.

Mike Conley scored 27 to go with a team-high eight assists for Utah. Jordan Clarkson and Bojan Bogdanovic added 15 points apiece, as did Gobert to complete a double-double with a game-high 14 rebounds.

Morant finished with a team-high 28 points to go with a team-high seven assists, while Dillon Brooks chipped in 27 points for Memphis, which was outscored 57-39 on 3-pointers.

Grayson Allen came off the bench with five 3-pointers to account for almost all of his 17 points, while both Kyle Anderson (11 points, 13 rebounds) and Valanciunas (10 points, 13 rebounds) rebounded double-doubles for Memphis.

Riding the momentum of a 141-point explosion in a 12-point win at home in Game 2, Utah wasted no time taking charge in its first road game of the postseason.

Early 3-pointers by Conley (two) and Royce O'Neal (one) helped vault the Jazz into a quick 13-5 lead. And when Georges Niang bombed in Utah's seventh 3-pointer, the visitors had built a 34-19 advantage in the final minute of the quarter.

But Memphis chipped away, eventually drawing even with 7:58 remaining when Allen buried a 3-pointer to cap the Grizzlies' flurry to open the final period.

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Mike Conley is big time Donovan Mitchell hails teammate in Jazzs win - Republic World

Donovan Mitchell scored 10 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and the top-seeded Utah Jazz beat the Memphis Grizzlies 121-111 on Saturday night to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round series.

Mike Conley, in Memphis where he started his career, matched his regular-season and playoff career highs with seven 3-pointers and finished with 27 points.

Rudy Gobert had 15 points and 14 rebounds, Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson added 15 apiece, and Royce O'Neale had 12.

Game 4 is Monday night in Memphis.

Ja Morant led Memphis with 28 points, and Dillon Brooks had 27 before fouling out.

Brooks scored the first six points of the fourth, starting Memphis on a 13-2 run. Morant gave the eighth-seeded Grizzlies their first lead at 107-105 with two free throws with 5:00 left, and his jumper with 4:28 made it 109-107.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)

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Is Luka Doncic playing Game 4 tonight vs Clippers? Dallas Mavericks release shoulder and neck injury report... - The Sportsrush

Luka Doncic looks set to appear in Game 4 against the LA Clippers today. He will, however, probably be playing with a minutes restriction.

Doncic has been picking the Clippers’ defense apart with his vision and shooting through all 3 games thus far. The Clippers don’t appear to have any realistic option to limit the damage he does to them. They’ve tried throwing a variety of coverages at him, all unsuccessfully.

It was, therefore, a shot in the arm for LA’s worse team when Luka suffered a neck injury during Game 4. It enable them to refocus their energy on shutting his teammates down. As a result, the Clippers succeeded in breaking the Mavs’ 28-0 streak where they’ve won every game with a Q1 victory.

Also Read: “So many different defenders on Luka Doncic, and yet no one could stop him”: Skip Bayless praises the young Mavericks’ star for his performance against Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers

Luka Doncic will be the crucial element of hope for the Mavs, who will be hoping to make it a 3-1 lead tonight. But is he all there for this crucial Game 4 to be played at American Airlines Center?

Is Luka Doncic playing Game 4 tonight vs Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers

Luka sustained this injury in his neck around halftime. It then started to move down his arm during the second half, so he wore a wrap around his shoulder and neck area when he was on the bench and received some massage in between scoring a playoff career-best 44 points.

The Mavs have downgraded Luka to ‘questionable’ status from ‘active’ for Game 4 according to Rick Carlisle:

“I think he’s going to play, but we’ll see tomorrow. Questionable, generally, from what I’ve seen this year with other teams and our team is more likely to play than not, in most cases.”

Rick Carlisle on Luka’s neck injury: “I think he’s going to play, but we’ll see tomorrow. … Questionable, generally, from what I’ve seen this year with other teams and our team is more likely to play than not, in most cases.”

— Callie Caplan (@CallieCaplan) May 29, 2021

Also Read: “Russell Westbrook, you’re too small”: Ben Simmons taunts Wizards star after making light work of him from the post in Game 3 win

This is indeed the Clippers’ chance to get back into the series and wrest the advantage back from the Mavs.

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Celtics & Clippers EPIC Comebacks as Tatum & Kawhi Save Their Seasons | Game 3 NBA Playoffs - BBALLBREAKDOWN

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Showtime Boxing results, highlights: Nonito Donaire stops Nordine Oubaali to reclaim bantamweight title at 38 - CBS Sports

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Already a future Hall of Famer in waiting, four-division champion Nonito Donaire continues to defy Father Time by daring to be great in search of more hardware. 

Donaire (41-6, 27 KOs), the 38-year-old slugger from the Philippines, shattered his own record as the oldest fighter in boxing history to win a world title at 118 pounds when he dropped WBC champion Nordine Oubaali (17-1, 12 KOs) a trio of times on Saturday en route to an emphatic fourth-round knockout at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. 

"The Filipino Flash" had previously stopped Ryan Burnett in 2018 to win the WBA bantamweight title when he was 35. 

"The King has returned," Donaire said. "You know, being at this age is really not the question, it's my performance. It's really the ability to grow. I believe that it matters not what your age is, it matters in how you are mentally.

"Father Time has been on my side. I believe the human body is an incredible machine if we take care of it. That's the question, taking care of our body allows it to be as strong as we can be. 

Because mentally, we're only as strong as our mind can be."

Can't get enough boxing and MMA? Get the latest in the world of combat sports from two of the best in the business. Subscribe to Morning Kombat with Luke Thomas and Brian Campbell for the best analysis and in-depth news.

Donaire returned to the ring for the first time in 18 months when he co-authored 2019's Fight of the Year in a spirited decision loss to unbeaten destroyer Naoya Inoue, in a fight in which Donaire broke the Japanese pound-for-pound star's eye socket.  

"What I learned from Inoue is [that] I'm back," Donaire said. "I knew that I was not fighting, I was learning. I'm ready for the next one."

Oubaali, a southpaw from France, was unable to avoid Donaire's power while looking to establish the pace with his aggressive and awkward style. 

Donaire dropped Oubaali midway through Round 3 with a left hook and scored a second knockdown with another left hand at the bell to close the round. Referee Jack Reiss initially appeared as if he had waived off the fight only to administer a count to a visibly hurt Oubaali in order to give him a chance to beat it. 

"I know what his pattern was," Donaire said. "I knew exactly what he was gonna do. He was showing his weakness, so I was able to counter him with the hook."

One round later, Donaire put Oubaali away for good with a three-punch combination ending with a body shot against the ropes. Oubaali crumbled to the ground and Reiss instantly waived the fight off without a count at 1:52 of Round 4.  

After the fight, Donaire continued to pursue interest in a rematch against Inoue (20-0, 17 KOs), the WBA and IBF champion, who returns June 19 to defend his titles in Las Vegas against Michael Dasmarinas. 

"That's my next goal," Donaire said. "The only thing I have not accomplished in this sport is becoming undisputed, so that's my next match."

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Showtime Boxing results, highlights: Nonito Donaire stops Nordine Oubaali to reclaim bantamweight title at 38 - CBS Sports
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Donovan Mitchell is a CLOSER, 2-1 series lead | UTAH JAZZ - Utah Jazz

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Oubaali vs Donaire HIGHLIGHTS: May 29, 2021 | PBC on SHOWTIME - Premier Boxing Champions

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Mavericks star Luka Doncic questionable to play Game 4 - Los Angeles Times

Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic questionable for Sunday's Game 4 against LA Clippers with neck strain - ESPN Philippines

5:30 AM PHT

Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic is listed as questionable for Sunday's Game 4 against the LA Clippers due to a cervical strain.

Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said he thinks Doncic will play, "but we'll see how he feels tomorrow."

After the Mavs' Game 3 loss Friday night, Doncic said he started experiencing pain in his neck around halftime, and it went down his left arm.

"It's just weird," Doncic said after his 44-point, nine-rebound, nine-assist performance. "Just some massage, some ice and hopefully it will be good."

Doncic has averaged 38.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists in the series, guiding Dallas to a 2-1 lead.

The Mavs have outscored the Clippers by 25 points in 117 minutes with Doncic on the court in the series and have been outscored by 19 in the 27 minutes he has rested.

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NBA: Lillard banks on supporting cast, as Blazers tie series vs Nuggets - ABS-CBN News

Portland point guard Damian Lillard dunks in Game 2 of their first round series against Denver in the 2021 NBA Playoffs on May 27, 2021. Portland won Game 4 on Saturday, May 29, to tie the series. Soobum Im, USA Today Sports/Reuters

Norman Powell scored 29 points and CJ McCollum added 21 to lift the host Portland Trail Blazers to a 115-95 win over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round series.

Jusuf Nurkic had 17 points, Damian Lillard collected 10 points and 10 assists and Carmelo Anthony scored 12 points on his 37th birthday to help the Trail Blazers even the series at two wins apiece.

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Denver.

Nikola Jokic had 16 points and nine rebounds and Monte Morris and Facundo Campazzo added 12 points each for the Nuggets. Denver, which shot just 34.0 percent, went cold in the third quarter when it made just 7 of 24 attempts while being outscored 36-19.

Portland led by eight after the first quarter but the Nuggets tied it at 36 early in the second. The Trail Blazers increased the lead to 12 before settling for a 57-47 halftime advantage.

Portland scored the first 10 points of the third quarter while Denver struggled on the offensive end. The Nuggets missed 11 of their first 13 shots to start the second half and missed five straight 3-pointers until Jokic broke the string to cut the deficit to 73-54 with 6:45 left in the period.

Campazzo made a layup on the next possession for Denver's only two field goals in more than five minutes. Powell's dunk put the Trail Blazers ahead 78-56 and prompted a timeout by the Nuggets with 4:48 left.

Two free throws by Nurkic, a 19-foot jumper by Anthony followed by 3-pointers from Anfernee Simons and Anthony made it 88-58 with 2:25 left in the third quarter.

JaMychal Green was hit with a technical foul and Lillard sank the free throw. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson tipped in a miss by Anthony to make it 91-58.

Paul Millsap scored six points at the end of the period to make it 93-66 heading into the fourth.

FROM THE ARCHIVES:

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Jimmy Butler On Getting SWEPT, Postgame Interview - Game 4 | 2021 NBA Playoffs - House of Highlights

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Ja Morant is proving that Stephen Curry could’ve exploited the Utah Jazz - Blue Man Hoop

Ja Morant lit up the Utah Jazz in Game 2. He did his damage with high pick-and-rolls that allowed him to attack downhill. Morant’s ability to get his shot in the lane and show off his craftiness should be tough to watch for the Warriors.

While it’s significant as Morant is just another young star showing his talent on the league’s highest level, it’s painful because Morant is giving a glimpse of what superstar Stephen Curry could’ve done in the first round.

The Warriors are sitting at home, while watching Ja Morant destroy the Jazz, knowing Stephen Curry was a few made shots away from doing the same.

Morant scored 47 points in Game 2, easily the most among any player.

However, the Grizzlies just couldn’t guard the Jazz as they allowed the Donovan Mitchell-led side to put up over 140 points. The series is now tied up at 1. They’ll be heading back for two in Memphis as the Grizzlies have home-court advantage now.

That said, Morant’s ability to control the pace of the game and control his body in the lane is what’s made him so dangerous. He had just two triples in the game. He was 13-for-19 from two-point range.

The Jazz had no answer for the high screen as Morant would either attack his way to the glass or finesse his way to a reasonably open mid-range floater or jumper. It was a solid effort, and one that is going to leave Warriors fans begging what Curry could’ve done.

Now, it would’ve been a bit different. The Grizzlies have far more weapons than just Morant. Dillon Brooks has played well, and when they are struggling, they can always dump it down to Jonas Valančiūnas.

When teams like Memphis and Los Angeles took on the Warriors, as Klay Thompson has remained sidelined since the 2019 NBA Finals, they’ve been allowed to double team Stephen Curry without many ramifications.

That could be the difference as Morant’s weapons combined with his ability to find those weapons keep the defense honest when thinking about helping off their man. Regardless of that, Morant has been cooking the Jazz, and he’s proving that they are formidable.

If Morant can do that, fans can just imagine how much Curry could’ve torn them up.

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Kawhi Leonard, Paul George rise to challenge as LA Clippers take Game 3 in Dallas - ESPN Philippines

3:09 PM PHT

Down 30-11 just minutes into Game 3 before the biggest and most hostile crowd they've faced all season, the LA Clippers responded Friday night with a performance that might have saved their season.

After head coach Ty Lue said they would show what they're made of in a must-win game, the visiting Clippers overcame another monster night from Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic with perhaps the best combined effort they've received from Kawhi Leonard and Paul George with all that was at stake.

Leonard and George combined to score 65 points in a 118-108 win over the Mavericks in front of a raucous 17,705 fans at American Airlines Center, cutting Dallas' first-round series lead to 2-1.

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"We're down 2-1. We haven't shown anything," said George, who scored 22 of his 29 points in the first half. "We're not the favorites [to win it all]. We're not the defending champs. We haven't shown anything.

"We have to continue to keep doing it. We've got to win this series, but it's one game at a time. We've got to win Game 4 and send it back to L.A. Take home-court advantage. But off one win, we haven't shown anything."

Lue might disagree. The Clippers, a team that blew a 3-1 series lead in the second round last year against Denver, were staring at the possibility of falling behind 3-0 and what would almost certainly be yet another postseason failure.

With their season on the line, the Clippers opened Game 3 looking like they were heading straight toward the offseason. Despite inserting Reggie Jackson into the starting lineup in place of Patrick Beverley, the Clippers trailed 30-11 with 4 minutes, 38 seconds left as Doncic scored 11 points in the first quarter. The Mavericks' star -- who finished with 44 points, nine assists and nine rebounds -- continued to torch the Clippers' defense, especially on switches onto big man Ivica Zubac.

But the Clippers went to a small lineup, and their offense took off. They outscored the Mavericks 52-31 the rest of the first half, including a 20-4 run in the first quarter.

The Mavericks could not stop Leonard for the second straight game. After scoring 41 points in Game 2, Leonard made 11 of his first 12 shots before finishing with 36 points and eight rebounds. He made 13 of 17 shots in Game 3 and joined LaMarcus Aldridge as the only players with 35 points on 67% field goal shooting in consecutive playoff games in the shot-clock era (since 1955), according to data from ESPN Stats & Information.

With George carrying the Clippers in the first half and Leonard scoring from his spots, the duo halted the Clippers' five-game losing streak in the postseason dating to last year.

"Those guys are killers," said Marcus Morris, who broke out of his playoff shooting slump with 15 points after getting an encouraging phone call from his twin brother, Markieff, at halftime. "No matter what's being said in the media and what's being said in the outside world, them guys come in and work their ass off every single game."

Entering Game 3, Lue said that everyone would see what the Clippers were made of with their backs up against the wall. Lue simplified the defense to help limit the breakdowns and communication issues. And even though the Clippers didn't have Serge Ibaka (back), they played their best defense of the series by getting enough stops to win.

On Friday, the Clippers held Tim Hardaway Jr. to 12 points and 4-for-14 shooting. They also outscored the Mavericks 46-24 in the paint, which was a major point of emphasis for the Clippers.

"We felt like we weren't playing our game to begin with to be down 0-2," George said. "We felt like we weren't playing our style, and I thought tonight we got to that. This is where we hang our hat on, playing on the defensive side, and we didn't show any defense the first two games."

Now they're back in this series and have a chance to even the best-of-seven series at 2-2 in Game 4 on Sunday and take home-court advantage back to L.A.

"Obviously, backs against the wall," point guard Rajon Rondo said of the Clippers showing veteran poise and their playoff experience. "Champions respond. We can't crown ourselves too early, but understand to have that mindset that when things get wrong, we got to fight, and tonight we stuck to the fight, down 19. I think that's one of the biggest obstacles in the playoffs.

"We haven't done anything special though. We won one game, and we'll watch the film tomorrow and see how we can come out better on Sunday and hopefully have the same type of outcome."

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Mavericks - Clippers: Playoffs Game 3 Observations - Mavs Moneyball

Playoffs basketball is fun. Even when the Mavericks lose like they did Friday 118-108 to the Clippers. Each game is a chess game of tactical moves, adjustments, and counters.

Throughout the playoffs, we’ll recap how things unfolded on the court. We’ll highlight key tactical wrinkles for each team in a notebook observation format. Here are Game 3 notes.

First-quarter

Key moments:

• Ty Lue made two adjustments in game 3. First, he replaced Patrick Beverley with Reggie Jackson in the starting lineup. Second, he assigned Kawhi Leonard to guard Tim Hardaway Jr.at the beginning of the game. Hardaway Jr. was averaging 24.5 points on 65 percent three-point shooting, so Lue decided to shut him down early. That meant Kristaps Porzingis was defended by a big man in Ivica Zubac.
• The Mavericks came out of the gate, firing on all cylinders in front of the home crowd. They outscored the Clippers 28 - 11 in the first seven minutes of the game, led by Luka Dončić who scored 11 points, and hit 3 of 4 of these three-point shots. Early on it seemed that the Clippers are on the verge of a major collapse.
• The key moment of the quarter (and probably of the whole game) happened when Dončić came out of the game with 4:52 left in the game. Dallas struggled again in non-Dončić minutes. In three and a half minutes of play (until Dončić checked back in), Dallas was outscored 14 - 4 and lost the early momentum.

What worked for Dallas:

• Luka Dončić started where he left off, he went right at attacking Ivica Zubac in pick and roll. Since Zubac was guarding Porzingis we saw three Dončić Porzingis pick and roll action, and the Clippers switched Zubac on Dončić every time. Dončić scored eight points on three possessions and Ty Lue had to take a timeout after only two minutes of action. Lue took Zubac out of the game and went with the small lineup with Batum in Zubac’s place. The Clippers played small most of the game, Zubac played only 11 minutes.

• Dončić and Porzingis continued attacking the Clippers with their two-man action. Porzingis made an and-one play rolling to the basket, out of a pick and roll with Dončić. Then Dončić found Porzingis with a quick pass for an early three. The Clippers looked lost on defense early on in the first quarter.

What didn’t work for Dallas

• The Mavericks were -10 in 3 minutes and 20 seconds, Dončić sat in the first quarter. Mavericks were up by 17 points when Dončić checked out and were ahead by only 7 points when he returned. Tim Hardaway Jr. forced three shots in this stretch and went 0-3.
• The Clippers gained the momentum, climbing back out of an early hole gave them the confidence and boost for the remainder of the game.
• Dallas was +3 when Dončić was on the court in this game, and -13 when he was off, for a net +16. The Mavericks have struggled in non-Dončić minutes throughout the series. Kristaps Porzingis is +31 when he is on the court with Dončić, and -17 when Dončić is off.

Score: Dallas leads 34-31

Second-quarter

Key moments:

• It was another quarter of the Mavericks trying to outscore the Clippers while playing bad defense.

What worked for Dallas:

• Lue tried with Zubac to start the second quarter. Like all series, it didn’t work out well for the Clippers. Dončić scored 5 quick points in the first two minutes of the quarter, and Lue had to go small again. Dončić continued attacking and scored 15 points in the second quarter.

What didn’t work for Dallas

• Dallas couldn’t find a solution for Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in the first half. George scored 13 points in the quarter on 6 of 7 shooting. George and Leonard scored 40 points in the first half on 18 of 22 shooting. Maverick’s defense is a problem the whole series and it was exposed once again in the first half.

Score: Clippers lead 63-61

Third-quarter

Key moments:

• Lue finally learned from his mistakes and started Batum instead of Zubac in the second half.
• The Mavericks' defense was a wreck again to start the second half. Dallas allowed 21 points in the first six and a half minutes. After three consecutive mistakes on defense, Rick Carlisle benched Kristaps Porzingis.

What worked for Dallas:

• Dončić continued with his scoring outburst. Dončić made his first three shots and scored 8 points in the first six minutes of the quarter.
• For the second consecutive game, Willie-Cauley Stein changed the tone on defense in the third quarter. Cauley-Stein scored 5 points and had two blocks in 5 minutes of play in the second part of the third quarter. The Clippers scored only 5 points in that stretch.

What didn’t work for Dallas

• Kristaps Porzingis had another bad defensive quarter and was eventually benched by Rick Carlisle. Porzingis struggled on defense all season and has the worst defensive rating among all Mavericks starters in this series. Porzingis got beat on a back door cut twice, then Nick Batum beat him off a close-out for a layup.

The Mavericks are not able to contain Leonard and George without help defense throughout this series. This is why fast rotations and close-outs on open shooters are really important. It’s evident that the lack of mobility from Porzingis is a problem rotating on open shooters when the defense is in rotation. Furthermore, his rim protection is a problem as well. Porzingis blocked only three shots in the first three games and blocked none in game three. Leonard and George speak openly about attacking the rim and do not see Porzingis as a threat.

Paul George on his added penetration in this series:

"Mainly just attacking. They don't have a rim protector, so just try to get there and put pressure at the basket."

— Shane Young (@YoungNBA) May 29, 2021

Score: Clippers lead 89-86

Fourth-quarter

Key moments:

• As in game two, Carlisle and Lue went super big vs super small to start the fourth quarter. Carlisle played Powell and Porzingis with three guards, while the Clippers lineup featured three guards, Morris and George. This time around the Mavericks' big lineup failed to make a run, and Carlisle replaced Powell with Kleber after three minutes of play.
• The Clippers picked Mavericks defense apart making 6 out of 11 three-point shots in the fourth quarter. Clippers went to Kawhi Leonard in the fourth quarter, and Leonard delivered scoring 9 points in the quarter. Even more problematic, when Mavericks started to double-team Leonard the Clippers picked them apart by swinging the ball to open three-point shooters. Morris and Jackson made four three-pointers from the left corner.

What worked for Dallas

• Not much. Bothered by back or neck pain Dončić ran out of gas in the fourth quarter. Dončić made a late push hitting two step-back threes and scored 10 points in the quarter, but the Mavericks defense was not good enough to make a final push.

What didn’t work for Dallas

• In a game where the Clippers’ two stars combined for 65 points, the Mavericks needed their stars to show up. The Clippers made an effort to put pressure on Hardaway Jr. by putting Kawhi Leonard on him at the start of the game. After amazing two games, Hardaway Jr. came down to earth and scored 12 points on 29 percent shooting.
• This was the game for Kristaps Porzingis to show up and he failed to deliver. After an OK start to the game in the first quarter, Kristaps Porzingis struggled for the remainder of the game. Porzingis scored 3 points and had 2 rebounds in more than 23 minutes after the initial period. Clippers played small lineups throughout the fourth quarter and Porzingis couldn’t capitalize. He missed all four of his shots and had a turnover on a post-up play.

• Per Synergy Porzingis scored 5 points on 9 possessions on post-ups in this series, for a terrible 0.556 points per possession. Maybe it’s the lack of rhythm and shots, but the games have been so competitive that the Mavericks don’t have the luxury to try with Porzingis at the post more. The other problem for Dallas is that Porizngis doesn’t have any other go-to move when things get tough at the end of a competitive playoff game. In the playoffs,your first move is gone, and it seems that Porzingis doesn’t have a backup plan. Seeing Porzingis struggle, I remembered this speech of Bob Myers, general manager for the Golden State Warriors talking about what happens in the Playoffs.

Bob Myers still with the realest commentary for why players with regular season success don't always thrive in the postseason. Failures are less confounding when you hear it. I go back to these words when some of best appear at their worst in the playoffs.pic.twitter.com/GhUPrAfdrm

— Michael Lee (@MrMichaelLee) September 11, 2020

• Dončić's struggle at the free-throw line continues. Dončić went 2 for 6 on free throws in the fourth quarter and is now at 48 percent for the series. It’s hard to pick on Dončić after 44 points, 9 assists, 9 rebound games. But his struggles at the line are difficult to ignore.

Score: Clippers win 118-108

After the three games, it’s obvious that Mavericks' defense is a problem. The struggles on defense were overlooked by some fans because of the initial explosion on offense, but it’s obvious that the Mavericks can’t defend at a high level. Carlisle went all-offense with the Dončić, Porzingis, and Hardaway Jr. in the starting lineup and it paid off in the first two games. But the lineups that feature the Maverick’s best three offensive players were among the worst in the league on defense this season (2nd percentile in the NBA). Carlisle is a smart man and maybe he thinks that the best way to win this series is to score at an incredible rate. To do that, the Mavericks will need Kristaps Porzingis to step up and play much better. If he’ll continue to be a negative on the defensive end, Porzingis will need to make an impact on offense. Otherwise, we’ll probably see Carlisle go with Cauley-Stein more. The first three games showed Cauley-Stein is much better at covering the ground and rotating on defense, once the Mavericks double Kawhi Leonard.

The Mavericks faced their first real adversity in this series. Now we’ll see how they respond. The good news is that the next game is on Sunday. It will be interesting to see what adjustments both teams will do.

Playoffs basketball is fun, even when the Mavericks don’t win.

Here’s the postgame podcast, Mavs Moneyball After Dark. If you can’t see the embed below “More from Mavs Moneyball”,click here. And if you haven’t yet, subscribe by searching “Mavs Moneyball podcast” into your favorite podcast app.

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