Dallas Mavericks drop game five to Clippers in Strat-O-Matic sim

The Dallas Mavericks fell to the Clippers in Los Angeles 128-114 in game five of the Western Conference Semifinals in the Strat-O-Matic simulation.

Dallas Mavericks supporters are waiting for live-action to return. The NBA is still formulating a plan on how to do it safely for all involved. No immediate decision is expected, but there is optimism that the 2019-2020 season can be saved.

Instead, the Mavs are locked in a virtual playoff battle with the LA Clippers. Strat-O-Matic is simulating the entire postseason. Dallas defeated the Nuggets in the first round.

The Western Conference Semifinals have been a back and forth affair. The Clippers took the first two games in Los Angeles. Dallas won the next two on their home floor. That set up a pivotal game five in Los Angeles which took place on Thursday. Here are the results.

Slow start sinks Mavs

The Dallas Mavericks had their offense rolling in the first quarter. They scored 33 points but gave up 46 to fall behind. The Mavs fought back. They just could not recover as the Clippers took the 128-114 win on the home floor.

Paul George was fantastic for the Clippers. He dropped 35 points while shooting 14 of 21 from the field. George chipped in four rebounds and three assists to be named the player of the game.

Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis both struggled from the field for Dallas. They were 14 of 39 combined. Porzingis finished with 27 points and eight blocks. Doncic had 20 points and 15 rebounds for a double-double, but it was not enough.

The series shifts back to Dallas for a must-win game six for the Mavericks. They will then have to go on the road and take game seven to advance to the Western Conference Finals. It is a tall task. Stay tuned to see if the Dallas Mavericks can get the job done in the simulation.