3 Studs, 2 duds from Mavericks' chippy Game 3 win over Clippers

4. Dud - Dante Exum

Coming into this series, Dante Exum was expected to be a huge X-factor for the Dallas Mavericks. Exum has been absolutely phenomenal in the clutch all season long for Dallas, and his composure late in games made him a key piece of the closing lineup.

He even had a stretch where he was a dominant starter, and he was statistically the best shooter on the team during the regular season. When he got the ball from behind the arc, it seemed like he always drilled it.

Exum's improvements as a shooter helped him return to the NBA and be a pivotal piece of the Mavs' rotation this season, but his performance in the playoffs has not lived up to the big expectations that fans had for him due to his excellent regular season.

In Game 3, Exum finished with zero points while shooting 0-4 from the field. Exum seems to have lost a bunch of his confidence as a shooter, and he doesn't have the same poise that he once had with the rock in his hands.

He almost looks uncomfortable handing the ball and it seems like he is always trying to get the ball out of his hands. Through three games, Exum has scored just three points while shooting 1-9 from the field, and his struggles at the end of the season could have led to this slow start in the playoffs.