The Dallas Mavericks have tied their first-round series with the LA Clippers with a 135-133 win, courtesy of a game-winning triple from Luka Doncic.
MORE: NBA world reacts to Luka's game-winner
Doncic, who was playing hobbled on one ankle, finished with a 43-point, 17-rebound, 13-assist triple double to lead the Mavs, who were without Kristaps Porzingis.
For more on an instant classic, here are some instant reactions from the game:
1. The game-winner
The highlight that needs no introduction.
BAAAAAANG! LUKA IS CLUTCH pic.twitter.com/WEmGZaPKLU
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) August 23, 2020
2. How lucky are we to witness Luka?
It's getting hard to find the proper adjectives to express just how special Luka Doncic is.
At just 21, he's doing the stuff of legends.
After suffering a sprained ankle in Game 3, the prevailing concern was Doncic's status for Game 4 and, once he was cleared, the question was how effective could he be? I don't think many could have predicted this.
In 45 minutes of action, Doncic finished with 43 points on 18-for-31 (58.1%) shooting, 17 rebounds and 13 assists, his second straight triple-double of the series.
Imagine if he was playing on two good ankles… Yeah, the Mavs are gonna be good for a long, long time.
3. A comeback for the ages
With 7:39 remaining in the first half, the Clippers led 54-33 and it appeared they'd run away with this one.
It was anything but a runaway.
Dallas would go on a 42-19 extended run to regain the lead midway through the third quarter, and it was a battle from that point forward.
The Mavs outscored the Clippers 63-55 in the third and fourth quarter to force overtime after trailing by as many as 21. Down, but not out, this team showed plenty of resolve, putting itself in position to win late.
Down one with three seconds left, Doncic made the biggest play of the night.
4. Kawhi is still Kawhi
When it appeared the Mavericks had all the momentum, it was Kawhi Leonard that made sure the game didn't get away from the Clippers.
Mid-range jumpers off the bounce, turnaround jumpers on the block, you name it, he did it.
Leonard finished with 32 points (on 10-for-22 shooting), nine rebounds and four assists, including a pass to Marcus Morris for the triple that put LA up one with nine seconds remaining in the first overtime.
On defence, Kawhi was the one that made things difficult for Doncic, which also put a damper into the Mavs' momentum.
LA can't ask for much more from its superstar forward, and its tied at 2-2.
5. George's struggles continue
Through the series' first three games, Paul George was averaging 17.3 points while shooting 30.9% from the field and 24.1% from deep.
While many looked for George to get past his struggles, they largely continued in Game 4.
In 45 minutes of action, George scored just nine points on 3-for-14 shooting, including 1-for-7 shooting from beyond the arc. LA needs much more from its other star to realize its title aspirations.
6. Sixth Man Lou
As good as Kawhi was and as much as George struggled, it was Sixth Man of the Year finalist Lou Williams that was LA's scoring leader.
In 34 minutes off the bench, Williams finished with 36 points on 13-for-20 (65%) shooting as well as a team-high five assists. He stayed on the floor during crucial junctures, including the all but nine seconds of the overtime period.
In addition to Williams, Reggie Jackson scored 14 points in 28 minutes off the bench but Montrezl Harrell, who also is a finalist for Sixth Man of the Year, scored just two points in 17 minutes.
7. Porzingis' health a concern
Already dealing with a hobbled Doncic, the Mavericks were dealt a major blow when it was announced that Kristaps Porzingis would sit due to knee soreness a mere minutes before the game began.
Porzingis' knee threatened to keep him out of Game 2 and will be something to monitor for the remainder of the series.
8. What's next?
The Clippers and Mavericks will meet for a pivotal Game 5 on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 6:30 a.m. IST.
The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its clubs.
