National Basketball Association

Luka Dončić's ailing neck driving discussion ahead of Game 5 of Mavericks-Clippers

Updated Jun. 1, 2021 7:04 p.m. ET

If you need convincing that NBA playoff series momentum can shift on a dime, look no further than the battle between the Nos. 4 and 5 seeds in the Western Conference.

After Luka Dončić and the Dallas Mavericks won the first two games of their series against the LA Clippers, the pitchforks were out as suggestions of a sweep of Kawhi Leonard & Co. began to muster.

Then the series shifted to Dallas, and the Clippers rattled off back-to-back monster wins to even the series.

Now, the questions aren't so much about LA as they are about Dallas — and particularly the health of Dončić.

He was a shadow of himself in Game 4 after suffering a neck injury earlier in the series, and the contest was hardly a close one.

The discomfort for Dončić started around halftime of Game 3, according to ESPN. Although he racked up 44 points in that 118-108 loss, he shot 46.2% from the field for 18 points in the second half.

In Sunday's Game 4 blowout, his struggles were evident. The 22-year-old mustered just 19 points on 9-for-24 shooting, a 37.5% clip. He went empty from the line, shooting 0-for-5 to bring his series total to 13-for-32 on free-throw attempts.

His 14.3% conversion rate from distance was the worst of his young playoff career, which spans 10 games heading into Wednesday's clash.

Considering that Dončić averaged 38.0 points on 51.9% shooting in the first three games of the series, it's no wonder the Clippers won Game 4 by 25 points.

Now the question is: How will Dončić fare in Wednesday's Game 5?

With a few days of rest, signs seem to point toward optimism. The latest reports say Dončić is "feeling better" ahead of the game in Los Angeles.

Shannon Sharpe of "Undisputed" isn't too worried about Dallas' budding superstar getting his.

It's the supporting cast around Dončić that has Sharpe wary about the Mavericks in Game 5.

"Luka will get his," Sharpe said, "and when they bring the double team as he starts to get closer to the rim, he'll find the open guy. … I'm not concerned about Luka. Luka will be just fine. I'm worried about the others."

To Sharpe's point, even with his dud in Game 4, Dončić is averaging more points per game (33.3) than the two next Mavericks combined.

Tim Hardaway Jr. is posting 16.3 PPG, and Kristaps Porziņģis is chipping in with 15.3 PPG. Dallas' other two starters, Dorian Finney-Smith and Maxi Kleber , aren't scratching double figures in points.

The offensive woes outside of Dončić were even more glaring in the Mavs' back-to-back losses. Hardaway averaged 8.0 PPG in Games 3 and 4, with Porziņģis going for 13.5 PPG. In Game 4, despite his obvious discomfort, Doncic led the team with 19 points.

Perhaps those numbers are why TNT's Charles Barkley has guaranteed the Mavericks are finished in this series.

As far as Skip Bayless is concerned, though, he's sensing a bit of smoke and mirrors.

In Bayless' mind, Dončić's pride took a hit more than his body with his team squandering a 2-0 series lead.

"I'm just not buying that all of a sudden he had some crick in his neck or something, [that] he had a neck strain," Bayless said. "… Luka's just never been a tough guy. Have you ever seen anybody whine to officials more than this guy does? … I do expect him to bounce back. Maybe it was a little injury, but it wasn't a big injury."

Even if Dončić is fully healthy, the tide of this series has swung dramatically from where it was after Game 2.

With a chance to take control up for grabs Wednesday, it's anybody's guess which of these up-and-down teams will seize the opportunity.

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