Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving led the Dallas Mavericks to a 114-101 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA playoffs, marking the Mavericks’ progression to the Western Conference semi-finals. In the Game 6 win, Dončić scored 28 points with 13 assists, while Irving scored 30 points, with 28 in the second half alone. This game ended the series with a 4-2 victory for the Mavericks.

The win against the Clippers was significant as it was Dallas’ first triumph after three first-round attempts against them over the past five seasons. Notably, Dončić’s performance was commendable given his battle with a right knee injury. However, the Mavericks suffered another setback as Maxi Kleber was injured early in the game due to a shoulder sprain.

In other NBA news, the Boston Celtics defeated the Miami Heat 118-84, securing their spot in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. Derrick White and Jaylen Brown scored 25 points each in a game that also highlighted Jayson Tatum’s contribution of 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Looking forward, the Mavericks are set to face the top-seed Oklahoma City Thunder in the next round. The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has gained attention with his impressive performances so far, signaling a potentially challenging matchup for Dallas.

Additionally, in the Eastern Conference, the playoff scenario remains intense as the Orlando Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers are headed to a seventh game to decide the series, after the Magic leveled with a 103-96 victory.

Lastly, in developments of team management, the Los Angeles Lakers have dismissed head coach Darvin Ham following their playoff elimination by the Denver Nuggets. This decision was made after reviewing the season’s results, as confirmed by Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka.