Luka Doncic and the Clippers, it’s a confrontation, and even a soap opera that has fascinated everyone since the “bubble” of Orlando, and failing to eliminate them in the playoffs, the Slovenian continues to make them miserable. Last night, hours after management sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Wizards, Doncic set himself a career high against his favorite foes. No Kawhi Leonard, Paul George or even Pat Beverley to get in his way, and he crashes 51 points. He finished just two points off Dirk Nowitzki’s franchise record. All at 17 of 26 on shots, with 9 rebounds and 6 assists, but also 7 stray bullets.
To give an idea of the rivalry between Doncic and the Clippers, he has exceeded the 40-point mark 17 times in his career. Seven of his performances were against the Clippers. And six of his eight best performances are against the Clippers. Last season, in Game 7 lost to the Clippers, he scored 46 points.
“When you feel like this, nothing can stop you”
Last night, he was already at 28 at the end of the 1st quarter! It’s more than his average for the season, and he himself was amazed. ” I felt incredibly good in that first quarter. Everything was coming back. When you feel like this, nothing can stop you, and you don’t want it to stop “Explains Doncic, who still misses three free throws in the quarter!
He ends this first period with a personal best, but also a franchise one: 7 out of 10 from 3-point range. ” Well, tonight was just Luka” sighs Tyronn Lue. “That little 3-point step-back, we have to deal with… It’s his shot, and if he had missed a few of them, the game would have been different. But he put them on, and that’s why he’s a great player. “
Forced to look twice at the scoreboard to check that he had put 28 points in this first quarter, Doncic will not give up. In the middle of the 3rd quarter, he exceeds 40 points, and Dallas flies away: 82-65.
” We just kept giving him the ball. That’s what I tried to do says Dorian Finney-Smith. ” For the Clippers, it’s hard to stay in the game when you have someone who misses nothing.“
New duel on Saturday!
Doncic will still miss things. Four free throws for example. It could have been very expensive when we saw the Clippers come back to -3 with two minutes remaining. But Doncic will steal a ball that the Brunson / Finney-Smith duo will turn into an alley-oop, while Reggie Bullock will take advantage of a caviar from this same Doncic to definitively push the Clippers on a 3-point.
“It was really fun to watch” concludes Kidd about his leader’s heatstroke. “I didn’t have much to do. Just not to get in his way. “
Saturday, probable continuation of the Doncic show, since the Clippers and the Mavericks meet at the Crypto.com Arena.
| Luka Doncic | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2018-19 | DAL | 72 | 32 | 42.7 | 32.7 | 71.3 | 1.2 | 6.6 | 7.8 | 6.0 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 21.2 |
| 2019-20 | DAL | 61 | 34 | 46.3 | 31.6 | 75.8 | 1.3 | 8.1 | 9.4 | 8.8 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 0.2 | 28.8 |
| 2020-21 | DAL | 66 | 34 | 47.9 | 35.0 | 73.0 | 0.8 | 7.2 | 8.0 | 8.6 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 0.6 | 27.7 |
| 2021-22 | DAL | 40 | 35 | 44.5 | 31.6 | 73.6 | 0.9 | 8.0 | 8.9 | 9.2 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 4.3 | 0.5 | 26.2 |
| Total | 239 | 34 | 45.5 | 32.9 | 73.5 | 1.1 | 7.4 | 8.4 | 8.0 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 4.0 | 0.4 | 25.8 | |
