NBA playoffs: 3 storylines from the Dallas Mavericks and LA Clippers in Game 1

3. Many ill-advised shots

The Clippers had some of these, but nowhere near as many as Dallas. This, on top of Porzingis’ ejection, was the Mavs’ downfall. Teams take bad shots over the course of games, that’s going to happen, but you can never afford too many in the playoffs.

Tim Hardaway Jr. fell victim to this after his first two made baskets of the fourth quarter at the 10:23 and 9:44 marks. After those made baskets, Hardaway was feeling himself a little too much. Hardaway took three of the Mavs’ next four shot attempts and missed all three.

In fairness, those two baskets tied the game, but he and the Mavs could’ve gotten better looks. Those three ill-advised shots in which he missed, stagnated the offense and allowed the Clippers to get back on top with a four-point lead.

Though, Hardaway is not the only guilty party. Seth Curry didn’t take as many as Hardaway, but it was at an important and vital point in the game. Late in the fourth Doncic made a basket at the rim to cut the lead to four, followed by a pair of defensive stops for the Mavs.

Dallas had a three-on-two transition opportunity with just over two minutes remaining and Curry took a contested transition three and missed and Doncic was not happy. In fact, he complained to Curry the rest of the way up the court back on defense.

These two players weren’t the only ones who took these bad shot attempts, but they seemed to be the most significant. The Mavs had their chances to win the game even when Porzingis was ejected, but a slow third quarter and many bad shots became Dallas’s true downfall. It’s something you simply cannot afford to do against this Clipper team. Better decision-making can make all the difference come Game 2 and the rest of the series.