Mavericks use big third quarter to pull away from Clippers in Game 5

A 10-point halftime deficit was far from insurmountable for the Los Angeles Clippers, but by the time the third quarter ended, they had found themselves in a 20 point hole.

Los Angeles recovered a bit by the end of points that disastrous period, but the damage was done, effectively sinking their hopes of earning a crucial 3-2 series lead.

To make matters worse, the fourth quarter was more of the same, as superstar guard Luka Doncic kept piling on and Dallas's backups kept up the pace against Los Angeles's own bench players.

Doncic was once again a one-man wrecking crew for Dallas, finishing with a line of 35 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists. He was supported by a strong night off the bench from Maxi Kleber, who sunk five of his seven three-point attempts and finished with 15 points of his own.

By contrast, the Clippers' stars were all no-shows. Paul George and James Harden racked up just 15 and seven points, respectively, despite combining for 25 shots from the field, while Russell Westbrook put up six points on 2-for-11 shooting as his disastrous series continues.

It's worth noting that even that pedestrian level of production was largely accrued after the game was more or less out of hand; things were even uglier than the box score might imply.

The Mavericks are on the brink of reaching the Western Conference semifinals for just the second time since their 2011 championship run. The last time it happened was 2022, when Doncic led the team to the Western Conference Finals, which they ultimately lost to the Golden State Warriors. This year, in a wide-open West, Dallas can start to dream about what might be possible — if they can win one more game.

As for the Clippers, they're a loss away from yet another disappointing playoff exit, and once again, a real reckoning as to the direction of their franchise. The talent is there year in and year out, but they're a team that consistently comes up short each summer.

Still, those tough decisions are at least a loss away, and the Clippers can still completely flip the narrative with a pair of wins in Games 6 and 7, set to be played on Friday and if necessary, Sunday. The Mavericks will be hosting the potential Game 6 clincher, while a win for the Clippers in that contest would send them back home for the winner-take-all Game 7.

The winner of this series will take on the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, who completed a comfortable first round sweep of the New Orleans Pelicans.