Game 5 showcased the ceiling that still makes the LA Clippers a title favorite

Game 5’s blowout over Dallas showed exactly why, despite whatever tweaks need to be ironed out, the LA Clippers are as legitimate a contender as there is.

Game 4’s disappointing last-second loss to the Dallas Mavericks showcased all the arguments why the LA Clippers could struggle to compete for the 2020 NBA title.

Injures and load management kept them from taking the floor at full strength more than a handful of times during the regular season. That was supposed to change come playoff time, where one of the league’s best on-paper rosters would take its best form when it mattered most.

Instead, Game 4 marked Patrick Beverley’s third straight DNP. Montrezl Harrell’s (justified) absence from LA’s seeding games left him a shell of the favorite to win Sixth Man of the Year, scoring two points in 17 minutes. Cohesion typically developed during the regular season was noticeably absent, the result of a team whose eyes possibly looked too far ahead into the future.

As high as Paul George’s talent can reach, his lows can be equally as impactful and, more frighteningly, sometimes just as frequent as his playoff resume indicates. Thus explains his nine-point 3-of-14 performance, capping off a four-game stretch of 17.3 points per game on 30.3 percent shooting that brought to question his ability as the co-star LA needs him to be.

Perhaps these issues don’t come into play enough to impact the bottom line of their first-round matchup with Dallas. In later rounds against better opponents, the same can’t be guaranteed.

Then Game 5 happened, the outing that, in defeat, could further spiral the Clippers downward by putting them just one game from elimination. Instead, a 43-point thrashing of the Mavs was a necessary reminder that, despite all that can stand in LA’s way, there’s plenty that can fuel a run to the title.

Any dream of a Clippers championship begins and ends with Kawhi Leonard, who has been as good as advertised against Dallas. He scored 32 points in less than 30 minutes in Game 5 and has averaged 32.8 points on 52.8 percent shooting, flashing his ever-evolving playmaking with 4.8 assists a night.

The team ranked sixth in 3-point percentage during the regular season was 22-of-35. The only rotation regulars who hit less than two triples were Ivica Zubac and Harrell, who rediscovered his way in the form of 19 points and 11 rebounds in under 23 minutes.

It was clear early into Game 5 that George was on his way to a breakout performance. He scored nine points in the first seven minutes and finished with 35 points in less than 25 minutes, shooting 12-of-18 from the field while hitting half of his eight threes.

How quickly many forget George is coming off a top-three finish for both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. He and Leonard form one of the most fearsome combos at both ends, and their combined 67 points on 24-of-37 shooting was a stark warning of that.

The Clippers held the regular season’s highest-scoring first-quarter offense to just 22 points and never looked back. Their 154 points are the third-highest scoring output in a playoff game of all time. Few teams can do both at any two points in time, much less in the same game.

LA can go big with Ivica Zubac proving to be one of the league’s most underrated rim protectors. A small-ball lineup featuring Marcus Morris at center greatly opens up the court and promotes defensive switchability. They have floor spacers and perimeter defenders along with two of the league’s best bench players. Guiding them all is a man making a strong case as the best player in the NBA today.

For all these reasons, the Clippers were one of the prohibitive title favorites entering the season. Game 4 showed that it might not always be easy to see, but Game 5 was quick to reestablish its domineering presence when needed the most.