DALLAS, TX — A slow start to Game 3 in the first round of the Western Conference playoff series turned into a chippy battle. The Dallas Mavericks came away with their second win of the series over the Los Angeles Clippers 101-85.
The Mavericks had five players finish the night in double figures with leading scorer Luka Dončić’ ending the night with 22 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and two steals.
Despite the Clippers holding a slim advantage in the second half, thanks to leading scorer James Harden, the Mavericks managed to overcome Los Angeles. Luka Dončić played a pivotal role, in the second quarter, where he found his rhythm from beyond the arc.
Dončić’s three-point shooting spree gave the Mavericks a slim two-point lead, 34-32, with 7:36 remaining in the second quarter. Dallas then extended their lead to 41-34 with over five minutes left in the quarter, with notable contributions from P.J. Washington and second-leading scorer Dereck Lively II.
The chemistry between Lively and Kyrie Irving was evident on the court, as Irving set up a lob for Lively, who completed the dunk.
Head coach Jason Kidd said the lob was huge for his team tonight, especially with their emphasis on getting in the paint.
“In the first half we had ten and in the first three games you would think that is the total we have,” said Kidd. “I told Ky [Kyrie Irving] he had a career-high of lobs and he was really in tune with D-Live [Dereck Lively II]. Just being able to get to the paint and the late pass, the lob was big for us.”
Not only did the Mavericks receive assistance on the offensive end, but their defense also shined, tallying seven blocks and eleven steals for the night. The Clippers attempted to alter their defensive strategies to challenge Dallas, but the Mavericks remained steadfast, heading into the locker room with a 54-41 lead.
The second half began with Kyrie Irving draining a deep three-pointer, setting the tone for the remainder of the game. Irving played a crucial role during a two-minute scoring drought late in the third quarter, sinking a pivotal three-pointer that extended Dallas’s lead to 73-62 with 1:16 remaining in the third quarter.
As the game reached its conclusion, tensions rose, resulting in a skirmish involving Washington, Terance Mann, and later Russell Westbrook. However, even this scuffle couldn’t disrupt Dallas’s offensive momentum. Washington was ejected from the game with six minutes remaining, with Dallas maintaining a comfortable 91-75 lead. Dallas added 10 more points to come away with the 16-point victory.
With a second series win under their belt, Kidd is hopeful that his team knows what they need to do to continue this momentum into Game 4. These two teams will face one another this Sunday in American Airlines Center. Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m.
