While Luka Doncic hit the game-winner in this one, and Trey Burke plopped in 25 points to help the Mavericks get the dub, let us not forget the overlooked, but considerable, contributions that Tim Hardaway Jr., uh, contributed in this game:
-Giving a rousing pregame speech which used the “F word” over one hundred times
-Scoring only two points in the first half so that the Mavs’ comeback could be even more remarkable
-Dunking
-During halftime, locating Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and slapping him in the nards with a Microsoft Wireless Keyboard, in a spooky foreshadowing of what the Mavs would do to the Clippers in the second half
-Hitting a nifty no-backboard reverse layup while floating baseline
-Being better than Paul George
-And, perhaps most importantly (actually undoubtedly most importantly), hitting just two of his three free throws with a minute and a half left, setting up the thrilling overtime finish which will surely go down as one of the most thrilling endings in NBA playoff history. Such selflessness to miss a free throw, and damage one’s own statline, for the betterment of the team…
When the Mavericks’ championship DVD comes out, and the section for this game comes on, THJ better get a shout-out. Do they still make championship DVD’s? I hereby volunteer my video-editing skills to it, as long as I can put a link to my Patreon on the DVD case and on the main DVD menu.