Kawhi Leonard Propels Clippers to Main Sport 3 Seize over Luka Doncic, Mavs
AP Portray/Tony Gutierrez
Kawhi Leonard scored 36 parts and Paul George added 29 more because the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the host Dallas Mavericks 118-108 in Sport 3 of their Western Convention first-spherical playoff series on Friday in American Airways Center.
Leonard hit 13-of-17 photos, and George drilled 11-of-18 enviornment-purpose makes an are attempting. The Clippers shot 57.9 p.c as a team.
Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic had 44 parts on 15-of-28 taking pictures, nine assists and nine rebounds for the Mavs, who jumped out to leads of 11-0 and 30-11 within the main quarter.
Nonetheless, the Clippers ended the main quarter on a 20-4 trot to prick the Dallas end result in three. Leonard and George at final combined for 40 parts by halftime, when the Clips led 63-61.
The 2 groups went benefit-and-forth within the third, nevertheless L.A. went on a 15-6 trot within the fourth to salt the sport away. Marcus Morris Sr. hit a trio of three-pointers within the center of that span.
Dallas now leads L.A. 2-1 within the suitable-of-seven series.
Important Performances
Mavericks PG Luka Doncic: 44 parts, 9 rebounds, 9 assists
Mavericks G Jalen Brunson: 14 parts
Mavericks PF Maxi Kleber: 14 parts
Clippers F Kawhi Leonard: 36 parts, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks
Clippers F Paul George: 29 parts, 7 rebounds, 4 assists
Clippers G Reggie Jackson: 16 parts, 4 assists
Clippers’ Supporting Cast Shines Spherical Kawhi, PG-13
Leonard and George combined for 63 parts on 24-of-35, taking pictures to vitality the Clippers’ offense, nevertheless the complementary avid gamers exterior L.A.’s star duo proved to be the variation.
The Clips outscored the Mavs by 22 with Rajon Rondo (six parts, eight assists) off the bench, and his leadership became once evident.
Ohm Youngmisuk @NotoriousOHM
Clippers in a tight sport with below 5 left within the fourth and Rondo is controlling the huddle on the floor before Kawhi shoots free throws. That’s apt something they didn’t maintain final year within the center of their account meltdown — they didn’t maintain any individual to acquire them on floor and express
Morris’ three-point barrage build the sport away:
Jackson got here thru with 16 take dangle of parts, including four three-pointers. His last one became once the final nail within the Mavs’ coffin and build L.A. up 115-102:
Terance Mann (plus-18) also supplied some take dangle of minutes and one mountainous bucket to assign L.A. up 89-84 monotonous within the third:
George and Leonard deserve the bulk of the credit for pulling L.A. benefit into the sport and giving the team a lead going into halftime, nevertheless the rest of the rotation took care of business to forestall the Clippers from facing elimination in Sport 4.
Luka Magic Reigns, However Relaxation of Mavs Largely Fight
Doncic scored 44 parts on 15-of-28 taking pictures. The rest of the team scored 56 parts on 23-of-58 taking pictures.
That beautiful noteworthy sums up Dallas’ evening.
It became once now no longer a respectable evening for some distance of the Mavs’ rotation, with Kristaps Porzingis particularly scoring apt nine parts on 3-of-10 taking pictures.
The 7’3″ mountainous man also had apt three rebounds in 34 minutes, persevering with a referring to postseason pattern:
The Mavs are aloof up a sport in this series, even though, thanks largely to Luka Magic. That became once on corpulent display conceal Friday, with the celeb showing off early:
It regarded as even though Dallas might perhaps perhaps furthermore trot away with this one after a hot-hot begin that featured Doncic beautiful noteworthy doing whatever he wished offensively.
Nonetheless, the Leonard- and George-led Clippers stormed benefit, with their teammates also coming thru.
Doncic aloof saved Dallas alive, even though, with some ridiculous buckets:
By the time the evening ended, Doncic earned these statistical accolades:
Doncic had some support within the win of Jalen Brunson, who dropped 14 off the bench and hit two mountainous threes to preserve Dallas within the sport.
Maxi Kleber and Tim Hardaway Jr. also hit four three-pointers apiece.
However the Mavs as a team merely might perhaps perhaps furthermore now no longer match the Clippers’ firepower for four quarters. Besides they couldn’t preserve tempo with Doncic (plus-three) off the floor (minus-13), main to their first 2021 playoff loss.
What’s Subsequent?
Sport 4 will happen on Sunday at 9: 30 p.m. ET in Dallas