Clippers take back lead vs Mavs; Nuggets live another day
MANILA, Philippines — The Los Angeles Clippers took a 3-2 lead in their NBA playoff series vs the Dallas Mavericks after winning Game Five, 154-111, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports.
The Clippers broke their previous franchise record of highest number of points scored in a single game with the win. The previous record was 138 points.
After getting bested in Game Two off of a Luka Doncic buzzer beater, the No. 2 seed in the West took back control of the series with a convincing victory.
The Mavericks were without big man Kristaps Porzingis, who did not play due to injury.
Los Angeles ended the opening quarter with a scorching 32-6 run to blow the game wide open with a 41-22 lead over the Mavs after the first quarter.
The Clippers didn't let go of the advantage until the final buzzer for the blowout victory.
Paul George top-scored for the Clippers with 35 points, while Kawhi Leonard chipped in with 32.
Luka Doncic was a bright spot for the Mavs with 22 markers.
Meanwhile, in the other game, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets lived to see another day after a 117-107 win over the Utah Jazz.
With their backs against the wall after Utah took a 3-1 lead, the Nuggets outscored Utah 35-21 in the final salvo to take the victory.
Jamal Murray led Denver with an all-around performance with 42 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
But his most impressive stat was he had zero turnovers for the second game in a row.
Per ESPN Stats, Murray becomes the first player to record back-to-back 40-point outings in the playoffs without committing a turnover since 1977 when individual turnovers were first tracked.
Donovan Mitchell led the Jazz in the losing effort with 30 points.
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