LOS ANGELES — An afternoon tip-off between the Kawhi-less Clippers vs the Luka-less Mavericks proved suspenseful enough, with the Clippers winning 97-91 on Sunday.
First-round playoff foes each of the past two postseasons, the Clippers and Dallas (9-7) met for the first time this season.
The Clippers (10-7) got back on track after coming in having lost three of four games (including coughing up a 20-point lead to Pelicans team that had previously won just two games) following a seven-game winning streak.
Paul George, The Clippers active star, finished with a game-high 29 points — a tally that included six of the Clippers’ final 10 points as they secured the win before a crowd of 17,149 in the first of two games against Dallas, the start of a six-game homestand at Staples Center.
Ivica Zubac recorded his fifth double double, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Reggie Jackson had 15 of his 23 points in the second half — the eighth time this season he’s scored 20 or more, a sign of good things for L.A., which hasn’t lost any of those games.
And, besides the game plan, Coach Tyronn Lue came through with a clutch challenge — asking for a review that turned a defensive foul on Terance Mann into a charge on Jalen Brunson. That took two points away from Dallas and gave the Clippers back possession, leading to a flashy layup by Jackson that pushed the Clippers’ lead to 96-89 with 29 ticks remaining.
Dallas superstar Luka Doncic missed his third consecutive game (all losses) with left knee and ankle sprains, but the Mavericks did regain the services of Maxi Kleber, who missed the previous nine games with an oblique strain.
The Clippers remained at significantly less than full strength as well, playing again without Kawhi leonard (ACL) and Marcus Morris Sr. (knee), as well as rookie Jason Preston (foot). Starting forward Nicolas Batum also missed Sunday’s game in accordance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols, the team announced shortly before tipoff.
And Serge Ibaka came back again. After playing two games (in which he was scoreless through 14 minutes) and then volunteering to spend four games with the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario to get in rhythm.
Early evidence suggests it worked: Ibaka scored four points in his first minute of action and finished with six points and four rebounds in 13 minutes.
In the second quarter, George hammered a snarling dunk on Dwight Powell to give the crowd a jolt, and Jackson warmed up with consecutive 3-pointers — including one “from the parking lot,” as described by arena’s public address announcer Eric Smith. Just as key: Zubac remained the aggressor as the Clippers erased most of a nine-point deficit and trailed 47-46 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Clippers took the wheel thanks to George’s tough-shot making — en route to 12 points in the period — and a couple more 3-pointers from Jackson.
The Clippers had to account for the Boban Marjanovic factor; the Serbian man put up six points in three minutes to help the Mavs bite into the Clippers’ lead, leaving the floor with Dallas down only 78-70.
The Mavericks closed the gap to 78-75 and then 88-85 as Porzingis and George traded shots and the Clippers lead ebbed between five and three points.
Kristaps Porzingis led the Mavericks with 25 points on 10-for-18 shooting.
More to come on this story.
PG THROWIN’ IT DOWN!
???? @BallySportWest | @Yg_Trece pic.twitter.com/Pl8p046xFO
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 21, 2021
LOS ANGELES — An afternoon tip-off between the Kawhi-less Clippers vs the Luka-less Mavericks proved suspenseful enough, with the Clippers winning 97-91 on Sunday.
First-round playoff foes each of the past two postseasons, the Clippers and Dallas (9-7) met for the first time this season.
The Clippers (10-7) got back on track after coming in having lost three of four games (including coughing up a 20-point lead to Pelicans team that had previously won just two games) following a seven-game winning streak.
Paul George, The Clippers active star, finished with a game-high 29 points — a tally that included six of the Clippers’ final 10 points as they secured the win before a crowd of 17,149 in the first of two games against Dallas, the start of a six-game homestand at Staples Center.
Ivica Zubac recorded his fifth double double, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Reggie Jackson had 15 of his 23 points in the second half — the eighth time this season he’s scored 20 or more, a sign of good things for L.A., which hasn’t lost any of those games.
And, besides the game plan, Coach Tyronn Lue came through with a clutch challenge — asking for a review that turned a defensive foul on Terance Mann into a charge on Jalen Brunson. That took two points away from Dallas and gave the Clippers back possession, leading to a flashy layup by Jackson that pushed the Clippers’ lead to 96-89 with 29 ticks remaining.
Dallas superstar Luka Doncic missed his third consecutive game (all losses) with left knee and ankle sprains, but the Mavericks did regain the services of Maxi Kleber, who missed the previous nine games with an oblique strain.
The Clippers remained at significantly less than full strength as well, playing again without Kawhi leonard (ACL) and Marcus Morris Sr. (knee), as well as rookie Jason Preston (foot). Starting forward Nicolas Batum also missed Sunday’s game in accordance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols, the team announced shortly before tipoff.
And Serge Ibaka came back again. After playing two games (in which he was scoreless through 14 minutes) and then volunteering to spend four games with the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario to get in rhythm.
Early evidence suggests it worked: Ibaka scored four points in his first minute of action and finished with six points and four rebounds in 13 minutes.
In the second quarter, George hammered a snarling dunk on Dwight Powell to give the crowd a jolt, and Jackson warmed up with consecutive 3-pointers — including one “from the parking lot,” as described by arena’s public address announcer Eric Smith. Just as key: Zubac remained the aggressor as the Clippers erased most of a nine-point deficit and trailed 47-46 at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Clippers took the wheel thanks to George’s tough-shot making — en route to 12 points in the period — and a couple more 3-pointers from Jackson.
The Clippers had to account for the Boban Marjanovic factor; the Serbian man put up six points in three minutes to help the Mavs bite into the Clippers’ lead, leaving the floor with Dallas down only 78-70.
The Mavericks closed the gap to 78-75 and then 88-85 as Porzingis and George traded shots and the Clippers lead ebbed between five and three points.
Kristaps Porzingis led the Mavericks with 25 points on 10-for-18 shooting.
More to come on this story.
PG THROWIN’ IT DOWN!
???? @BallySportWest | @Yg_Trece pic.twitter.com/Pl8p046xFO
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) November 21, 2021