LA Clippers stun in playoff series opener over Dallas Mavericks
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Clippers came out firing on all cylinders and put the league on notice Sunday afternoon. Even without superstar Kawhi Leonard, they proved they are still a threat in the Western Conference.
Leonard, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, was ruled out with right knee inflammation. On Thursday, Clippers president Lawrence Frank revealed Leonard had been battling the injury in the final three weeks of the regular season. There’s no timetable for his return and they are taking things day by day.
Amir Coffey, who is in his fifth season, started in Leonard’s place. Coffey saw more time on the floor this season and has been a reliable fill-in for Leonard and Paul George. Despite Dallas having Kyrie Irving and MVP contender Luka Dončić, a team with four future Hall of Famers should not have been counted out.
The Clippers, the West’s No. 4 seed, are now up 1-0 against the No. 5 seed Dallas Mavericks.
Ahead of tip-off, Clippers head coach Tyronne Lue said the team entered the series prepared and it’s that all-hands-on-deck mentality that would keep them afloat.
"Everyone had to step their game up, and we’ve shown we can do that. We talked about the Phoenix game, talked about the Denver game, the Cleveland game, and so, we’re very capable. We’re prepared for each situation, so here we are. We’re ready to go."
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The first quarter was a slow start for Dallas. The Mavs ended the first quarter down 34-22 and looked stale on both sides of the ball in the second quarter when Dončić went scoreless. The Clippers finished the first half up 56-30.
LA Clippers guard James Harden (1) celebrates with Paul George (13) after hitting a shot against the Dallas Mavericks in game one of the NBA Western Conference playoffs at Crypto.Com Arena. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
The Mavericks brought more energy in the second half but were no match for Los Angeles.
James Harden went 6-for-11 from behind the arc and finished with 28 points, 8 assists and 2 blocks. Clippers big man Ivica Zubac also put on an impressive performance with 20 points, which is a playoff career-high for him.
Harden’s performance gave the Clippers front office justice for acquiring the 10-time All-Star at the beginning of the season. It seems they sought another shooter in the unfortunate event Leonard or George were unavailable due to injuries come playoff time.
George and Terance Mann also finished with double figures, scoring 22 and 13 points, respectively.
The Clippers won Sunday's matinee matchup 109-97.
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Game 2 is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown LA.