DALLAS — Luka Doncic skipped down the court, one finger against his lips to silence the Los Angeles Clippers.
But American Airlines Center was anything but quiet after Doncic saved the Mavericks’ last full offensive possession in a one-point game Wednesday night against the Clippers by heaving up a last-second 3-point attempt from deep in his left-wing sweetspot with 27.8 seconds remaining.
Swish.
The Mavericks won 103-101 with Doncic’s arching 3-pointer to extend their lead to 102-98 as the heroic final save in what almost became the Mavericks’ fifth loss after leading by double digits this season.
Reggie Bullock, who had just nailed four of his five threes in the fourth quarter to stymie his personal slump and power the Mavericks’ clutch-time comeback, covered his face with his hands to hide how hard he was laughing at Doncic’s bucket.
Dorian Finney-Smith, who hit a career-best seven 3-pointers in the game, stood on the mid-court logo, mouth agape.
Christian Wood, who contributed 15 points (6 of 8 shooting) off the bench, skipped from the sideline in celebration, waving three fingers in the air.
What’s not to love about Doncic’s 35-point, 11-rebound, five-assists, 3-steal stat line and some Luka Magic to cap a second consecutive home victory?
Well, the third quarter and start of the fourth.
The Mavericks led by double digits in the first seven minutes and by 25 points (54-29) after Dorian Finney-Smith hit a 3-pointer with 1:09 left in the first half.
A 30-15 scoring advantage in the opening quarter. Complementary ease between Doncic and Wood on offense. A tired Clippers front on the second night of their back to back.
Not so fast.
With a 3-pointer before halftime and a 33-15 scoring advantage in the third quarter, the Clippers cut Dallas’ advantage to single-digits while Doncic played 14 consecutive minutes to start the second half.
Paul George tied the game at 70 points just 17 seconds after Doncic subbed out early in the fourth.
About 20 seconds later, the Clippers took their first lead since 4-3 in the opening minutes.
In that span, Doncic drew his fifth technical foul of the season — and third in as many games — for barking at officials, putting him on pace to reach the NBA’s suspension-triggering 16th (and then a suspension for every other technical after that) before the midpoint of this 82-game season.
The fourth-quarter demons that doomed Dallas’ slides in the season-opener in Phoenix, at home against the Thunder, and almost again Saturday against the Trailblazers returned Tuesday -- just a quarter early.
So did Doncic and the Mavericks’ recent woes against their former first-round playoff nemesis.
Even All-Star Kawhi Leonard’s knee injury absence, the Clippers presented Doncic with plenty of painful reminders.
All-Star Paul George served as the primary defender against Doncic in the Mavericks superstar’s first two career playoff series and led frequent blitzes against him Tuesday.
Center Marcus Morris played villain in the first after a controversial step on Doncic’s injured ankle, and French forward Nic Batum blocked Slovenia’s game-winning layup attempt in the Tokyo Olympic semifinals to deny Doncic’s national team a trip to the gold-medal game.
No need to lament at the final buzzer this time.
Finney-Smith swished a 3-pointer one second into clutch time, what the NBA defines as games within five points in the final five minutes, to break the tie at 84.
He hit one more, and Bullock three more, before Doncic’s final 3-point magic left them in smiles and laughter with the Clippers forced to try a free-throw-heavy comeback through the final seconds.
