With Kristaps Porzingis sitting out due to injury, the tall task of beating the Los Angeles Clippers to take a series lead fell on the shoulders of Luka Doncic and the rest of the remaining Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavericks started off hot from the field, going 4 of 6 from beyond the arc in the first five minutes of the game.

The Clippers hadn’t made any threes by that point, but they stayed in the game by bullying their way into free throws and smart buckets around the paint. An early 16-7 lead for the Mavericks quickly turned into a 31-16 Clippers advantage after a 22-2 run.

By the time the first quarter was over, it was 41-22.

Kawhi Leonard, as he has been all series long, was the lynchpin behind the quick change in fortunes for the Clippers. He is living proof that a strong mid-range game will always have a place in the NBA, even as the game continues to place more importance on the long ball. He finished the first quarter with 15 points, four rebounds, and an assist.

The player formerly known as Paul George also showed up in the first half, forming the unstoppable two-headed beast with Leonard that the rest of the league had feared all season long.

Leonard had 22 points by halftime, while George had 18 on the way to a 76-52 Clippers advantage.

The Mavericks were never able to mount anything close to a comeback attempt, and the 154-111 defeat will give the Clippers all of the momentum going into Game 6. This was the most points the Dallas Mavericks had ever allowed an opponent to score in the game.

Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle also lost his cool and found himself thrown in the second half.

Leonard finished with 32 points, seven rebounds, and four assists while shooting 12 of 19. George completed his bounce back game with 35 points, three rebounds and two assists on 12 of 18 shooting.

It was an important time for George to find his groove again, and now the Mavericks are looking like they stand little chance of winning two in a row against this Clippers team.