NBA playoffs: Kyrie Irving takes over to lead Mavericks past Clippers into 2nd-round matchup vs. Thunder

The primary half belonged to Luka Dončić. Kyrie Irving took over within the second.

It added as much as a 114-101 Recreation 6 win for the Dallas Mavericks over the Los Angeles Clippers Friday to safe a 4-2 collection win to advance to the second spherical of the playoffs. The fifth-seeded Mavericks transfer on to a second-round matchup with the top-seeded Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. The Clippers’ season involves a disappointing finish.

Coming off a 123-93 blowout loss at house in Recreation 5, the Clippers fell right into a 34-26 first quarter gap on Friday. They battled again to tie the sport at 52 earlier than halftime whereas limiting Irving to 2 first-half factors. That run marked their final stand of the collection.

Irving sizzles for 28 second-half factors

The Mavericks blew the sport open after halftime as Irving led a 35-20 third quarter-surge with 13 factors within the stanza. There was no fourth-quarter rally for the Clippers, whose playmakers didn’t match the dynamic Dallas duo.

After taking pictures 1 of 6 within the first half, Irving hit 5 of 6 photographs within the third quarter. A private 5-0 Irving run that includes a floater in site visitors and a second-chance 3-pointer prolonged Dallas’ result in a then game-high 15 factors within the remaining minute of the quarter.

An and-1 Irving 3-pointer within the fourth prolonged the Dallas result in 106-82, extinguishing any lingering hope of a Clippers comeback.

Irving completed with a game-high 30 factors after scoring two within the first half. He added six rebounds, 4 assists, two steals and two blocks. He shot 11 of 19 from the sector and 5 of 9 from 3.

Story continues

Dončić tallied 28 factors, 13 assists and 7 rebounds. On an evening the place he struggled from the sector (9 of 26, 1 of 10 from 3), he ceded the scoring highlight to Irving within the second half.

Acquainted postseason story for Clippers

With Kawhi Leonard sidelined and Paul George and James Harden each struggling from the sector, Los Angeles did not have the firepower to compete. Norman Powell led the Clippers in scoring with 20 factors off the bench.

George tallied 18 factors, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. He shot 6 of 18 from the sector and hit simply 2-of-10 3-point makes an attempt. Harden posted 16 factors, 13 assists and 7 rebounds. He shot 5 of 16 from the ground and missed all six of his 3-point makes an attempt. Russell Westbrook scored six factors in 9 minutes off the bench.

Leonard missed 4 of the collection’ six video games with knee irritation. He is now performed in 4 of the Clippers’ final 19 playoff video games.

The Mavericks outshot the Clippers from the ground (48.2% to 41.5%) and from 3-point distance (33.3% to 25.8%) on an evening when Dončić struggled along with his shot.

The Mavericks now have three days off to organize for Tuesday’s Recreation 1 in opposition to the Thunder. They’re going to await the standing of backup ahead Maxi Kleber, who sprained his proper shoulder on a hard fall in the second quarter and did not return.

The Clippers transfer on to a different offseason of questions surrounding an All-Star-studded roster that is didn’t compete for a championship and exited within the first spherical of the playoffs for a second straight season.