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» » After taking series lead vs. Clippers, Mavs can claim home-court advantage like never before - The Dallas Morning News

After taking series lead vs. Clippers, Mavs can claim home-court advantage like never before - The Dallas Morning News

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Their first playoff experience against the Los Angeles Clippers was conducted behind closed doors in the NBA bubble of Orlando, a six-game defeat that figured to be at least the launching pad for the learning process.

We knew this time around — the second postseason for Luka Doncic against the same squad — things would be different.

But I don’t think I registered how powerful a home-court advantage the Mavericks had grabbed until they were putting the finishing strokes on a 113-103 win over the Clippers at the Staples Center on Saturday.

I normally stay away from NBA playoff storylines about “So and so took home-court advantage away by winning on the road.” Teams win on the road. It happens. Not every series is determined strictly by where games are played.

But with Dallas cleared to have a crowd of 15,000 at American Airlines Friday night — a gathering that will surely feel like 50,000 to everyone concerned, given what all have endured the last 14 months — that is an enormous edge over what the Clippers had going for them Saturday.

The lower rows were filled with the kind of cardboard cutouts we chuckled at in baseball parks last summer. Restrictions in California limited the Staples audience to 6,117, and ponder that as you consider why Saturday’s victory was Dallas’ first in a Game 1 since the conference finals against Oklahoma City in 2011.

It’s because the first games played since then have been in Miami, Oklahoma City twice, Houston, San Antonio and the Orlando bubble.

In every case except last year, the masses — and sometimes the influenced officiating calls — were against the Mavs.

While Doncic dominated Saturday’s game with a triple-double, outplayed Kawhi Leonard and performed with the usual all-court swagger he has displayed since he arrived on these shores three years ago, the Clippers couldn’t buy 3-point shots.

Paul George was terrible early again Saturday, as he was for most of four games against Dallas before a big Game 5 last summer. He got better, and Leonard was very good and, yes, even Rajon Rondo hit his first three 3-pointers. But mostly, the Mavericks won this shooting contest going away.

And that’s despite the fact the Clippers led the NBA in 3-point percentage this season.

Dallas made 47% of its long-range shots with Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr. combining to go 10 for 20. It was the first playoff game in which Doncic had made five 3-pointers, and that alone will cause the Clippers to reassess their defensive approach before Tuesday’s Game 2.

Meanwhile, the Clippers were the only NBA team to top the 40% mark during the regular season (41.1) although New York, Brooklyn and Utah all hovered around the 39% mark. Against Dallas, they went 11 for 40, a meager 27.5%. Good grief, if not for Rondo’s 3 for 4 when he was left wide open (based on his field goal history from just about any distance), LA was 8 for 36 (22.5%).

Now logic says that will change during the course of a long series, even if the Mavericks get a smart, determined defensive effort night after night. Leonard and George combined to go 3 for 14 on 3-pointers. They will improve.

But I have to think this fan advantage the Mavericks are going to experience will be substantial.

Normally, it’s your sellout crowd against my sellout crowd and, sure, some arenas are a bit noisier than others and certain crowds (say, Portland) develop reputations for having louder fans than others.

But the playoffs are largely 50-50 propositions when it comes to home courts impact.

Not this time around. The Clippers announced 6,117 Saturday afternoon, and it’s not like there were big gatherings of screaming LA fans anywhere near the court. I’m not sure how it felt, but it looked more like a game back in the bubble, and while the Clippers made surges and grabbed the lead at times after a slow start, Dallas never looked like it was fighting an uphill battle.

In other words, the Mavericks were never desperate to silence the crowd.

With extra days off before both Games 2 and 3, it’s understood that the Clippers will come out with a different approach and most certainly find ways to hit a higher percentage of 3-pointers. At the same time, Dallas probably won’t be asked to win very often with Kristaps Porzingis as its fifth leading scorer.

A year ago, his knee injury ended his first playoff prematurely as Porzingis averaged 23.7 points against the Clippers. On Saturday, Doncic (31 points), Hardaway (21), Dorian Finney-Smith (18) and reserve Jalen Brunson (15) all topped Porzingis’ 14 points.

“I had an off night, and we were still able to get the win,” Porzingis said. “It’s going to be a fun second game.”

Expect more from the Clippers. Expect more from KP. Expect a heck of a series. And relish the fact that home-court advantage is alive and weighted heavily in Dallas’ favor for the next two weeks.

Striking first

The Mavericks won Game 1 of a playoff series for the first time since the 2010-11 Western Conference finals. At look at the Game 1′s during that stretch:

Season Opponent Round Result
2019-20 at LA Clippers* First round L, 118-110
2015-16 at Okla. City First round L, 108-70
2014-15 at Houston First round L, 118-108
2013-14 at San Antonio First round L, 90-85
2011-12 at Okla. City First round L, 99-98
2010-11 at Miami NBA Finals L, 92-84
2010-11 Okla. City West. Conf. finals W, 121-112

*Played in NBA bubble in Florida

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket past LA Clippers center Serge Ibaka (9) during the second half of an NBA playoff basketball game at Staples Center on Saturday, May 22, 2021, in Los Angeles. The Mavericks won the game 113-103.

1/41Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket past LA Clippers center Serge Ibaka (9) during the second half of an NBA playoff basketball game at Staples Center on Saturday, May 22, 2021, in Los Angeles. The Mavericks won the game 113-103.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

More Game 1 coverage

— ‘Playoffs are fun’: Luka Doncic, Mavs use lessons learned in bubble to take 1-0 series lead over Clippers

— Despite ‘frustrated’ playoff return, Kristaps Porzingis’ late dunk and good health boosted Mavs’ upset win

— 3 thoughts on Mavs’ Game 1 win vs. Clippers: Luka Doncic unlocks new level of dominance

Find more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

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