The Los Angeles Clippers will quickly want to forget about the sorry performance they put up in Game 5 of their heated first-round matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. After trading blows for the first 12 minutes, the Clippers completely lost the plot. The Clippers offense couldn't get going thanks to the struggles of their stars, and as a result, they took a groan-inducing, eye-roll worthy 123-93 loss in front of a dejected Crypto.com Arena crowd.

With the Clippers moving to Intuit Dome to begin the 2024-25 season, they will most certainly want to end their 25 year stay in the former Staples Center with a bang. Instead, the Clippers reached new lows in what potentially could be their final game in their longtime stomping grounds.

In losing to the Mavericks by 30 points in Game 5, the Clippers suffered their worst playoff loss in franchise history, as pointed out by Law Murray of The Athletic. Just to put in perspective how bad this defeat was in a historical Clippers context, they have only lost a total of 10 playoff games by 20 or more before their gutting loss on Wednesday night. The Mavericks made it 11, handing them their worst loss in their 152-game playoff history.

Of course, losing by 20 points or more 10 times before their Game 5 defeat to the Mavericks isn't something to celebrate. But it shows just how deep they plunged into the abyss of putridity on Wednesday. It's not like the Clippers have had plenty of teams in the past that could conceivably compete for a title, so for this crew of future Hall of Famers to be the captains of this sinking team is nothing short of a shock.

Nonetheless, the Clippers still have a chance to avoid ending their stint in Crypto.com Arena on such a low note. If they manage to win Game 6 in Dallas, they could, perhaps, buy some time to get Kawhi Leonard back to full strength. And who knows, if they find a way to advance to the second round, maybe the Clippers could even hang a banner in their longtime home when all is said and done. But that all looks rather unlikely at the moment.

The Clippers have been here before

No, the Clippers have not lost by 30 or more in the playoffs in the past. But they know a thing or two about being down 3-2 to the Mavericks as they head back on the road.

In 2021, the Clippers and Mavericks notoriously couldn't win at home for the first six games of the series. This year is different, of course, and the main variable that led the Clippers to victory three years ago, Kawhi Leonard, appears to be a non-factor this time around.

Leonard memorably took the Clippers past the finish line during Game 6 in 2021, hitting one clutch basket after another as he proved to be the machine the Mavericks couldn't seem to deactivate.

Alas, it doesn't seem like Leonard will be around to save the Clippers this year. He is dealing with a knee problem, and he is out indefinitely. Paul George and James Harden will have to play like they did in Game 4 for them to have a chance at rewriting their story as their Crypto.com Arena chapter comes to a close.

Can Paul George and James Harden save the day?

Paul George and James Harden were not at the level required to get a victory in Game 5, and the Clippers suffered as a result. They shot a combined 6-29 from the field, which simply is not a recipe for success against a Mavericks team that is starting to get rolling.

Luka Doncic performed much better on Wednesday, as he shot 14-26 from the field for a total of 35 points to go along with seven rebounds and 10 assists. It looks like Doncic is getting into a rhythm, and the Clippers cannot afford to shoot poorly if they were to keep up with a resurgent version of the 2024 MVP finalist.

George and Harden have put up stinkers in crucial games in the past. The former most memorably shot 4-16 in Game 7 against the Denver Nuggets in 2020, and he also went 2-16 in Game 6 in 2018 against the Utah Jazz. Meanwhile, Harden shot a combined 7-27 from the field in two closeout opportunities for the Philadelphia 76ers last year, and then he most notably shot 2-11 on two separate elimination games against the Golden State Warriors in 2015 and the San Antonio Spurs in 2017.

The Clippers absolutely cannot have George and Harden struggle in Game 5. Against a frenzied Mavericks home crowd on Friday, can the two lead their team and stave off elimination?