The Dallas Mavericks blew a chance to take control of their first-round series in the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 1. Los Angeles was without Kawhi Leonard but still had a dominating performance led by James Harden, who scored 28 points.
The Clippers won the game 109-97 and led by as many as 29 points in the wire-to-wire victory. It was a disappointing performance by the Mavericks, who were unable to take advantage of Leonard being out of the lineup.
With Leonard returning to the lineup in Game 2, the Mavericks looked to be in real danger of falling behind in the series and being in a 2-0 series hole. But, his return seemed to be a motivating factor for Dallas, as they looked much better than in Game 1.
They were able to pull off the upset victory, winning 96-93. A 14-0 run in the fourth quarter helped get them a lead which they rode to the end of the game. Leonard looked rusty on the court, leading to some shaky stretches for Los Angeles.
While the offensive side of the ball was out of sync, Leonard’s impact was felt immediately on the defensive end. He finished the game with four steals and one block, making life difficult for whoever he was matching up against.
After the game, Mavericks star Luka Doncic spoke about the impact that Leonard was having on the court. He was very complimentary of the Clippers star, praising his performance and knowing that more is to come in the next few games.
“He’s an unbelievable player. We all know when the playoffs come, he’s even better. He’s locked in offensively and defensively, so it’s really tough to stop. I learned a lot playing against him. He’s an unbelievable player,” Doncic said during his post-game presser.
Being hurt during several NBA Playoff runs, the Clippers haven’t always gotten the full effect of Leonard. But, Doncic and the Mavericks know just how good he can be as they were eliminated by Los Angeles twice with Leonard averaging over 32 points per game in each series.
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