Coverage of the NBA playoffs continues late on Monday night as the Phoenix Suns host the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of their Western Conference semi-finals series. Join us live on Sky Sports Main Event & Arena from 3am
Monday 7 June 2021 06:53, UK
The Los Angeles Clippers survived a 46-point performance from Luka Doncic to eliminate the Dallas Mavericks, 126 - 111, in Game 7 on Sunday night.
Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points along with 10 rebounds as the Clippers put up the most threes in Game 7 playoff history to defeat the Mavericks.
Marcus Morris Sr. scored 23 points and joined Steph Curry as the only player to hit seven three-pointers in a Game 7.
Paul George added 22 points with 10 assists as the fourth-seeded Clippers advanced to the second round to face the Utah Jazz. Los Angeles also became the sixth team in NBA history to lose the first two games of a series at home and still advance.
Sunday's game was the first time in the series the home team came out with the victory, as well as being the first time in NBA history the road team won the first six games of a playoff series.
Luka Doncic scored 46 points with 14 assists in his first career Game 7 of a playoff series but was unable to carry the Mavericks across the finish line. Dallas lost to the Clippers in the first round for the second consecutive season.
Dorian Finney-Smith scored 18 points with 10 rebounds and Kristaps Porzingis added 16 points with 11 rebounds for the Mavericks, who had two chances to close out the series. They lost at home 104-97 in Game 6 on Friday.
Trailing 81-76 with 6:53 remaining in the third quarter, the Clippers went on a 21-2 run to take a 97-83 lead, pushing the advantage to double digits for the first time in the game. They closed out the third quarter on an overall 24-4 run to take a 100-85 advantage.
Doncic was intent on getting to the second round when he scored 29 points in the first half on 10-of-14 shooting, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range. But he had just six points in the decisive third quarter and did not make any of his 3-point attempts.
The Clippers pushed their advantage to as many as 19 at 106-87 with 9:20 remaining on a pair of Leonard free throws. The Mavericks made one last run, getting to within seven at 114-107 with 2:06 to play on a Doncic step-back 3-pointer.
But Reggie Jackson answered with a 3-pointer for a 117-107 lead, which was quickly followed by a Marcus Morris corner three and the Clippers finished off the game and series from there.
Jackson scored 15 points, while Terance Mann added 13 for the Clippers, who shot 50 percent from the field (41 of 82). Nicolas Batum and Luke Kennard added 11 points each.
Boban Marjanovic scored 14 points for the Mavericks with 10 rebounds, while Tim Hardaway Jr. had 11 points.
