Three Takeaways from the LA Clippers' Comeback Victory in Game 3
Game 3 was nearly a disaster for the LA Clippers.
After dropping the first two games of their playoff series with the Dallas Mavericks and effectively surrendering home court advantage, LA needed to have some sort of turnaround performance on the road to avoid falling into the seemingly insurmountable 3-0 hole.
In the days leading up to the contest, the Clippers collectively projected a calm, unshaken demeanor. They knew the series wasn't over yet, but they also weren't displaying any real sense of urgency.
LA carried its complexion into Game 3, and after the first few minutes of action, it looked as though the team was finished. The Mavericks swung first and hit the Clippers squarely in the mouth, jumping out to a 30-11 lead a little more than halfway through the first quarter.
Perhaps that was all it took to wake the Clippers up.
LA responded with a punch of its own, closing the opening frame on a 20-4 run and quieting the raucous Dallas crowd in the process. The Clippers threw another jab at the Mavericks in the second quarter, continuing their run until they were able to take a 45-44 lead with seven minutes left in the half. Both teams traded blows until the buzzer, but it was the Clippers who took a two-point lead into the break.
Dallas emerged from the intermission with a confident stretch of play, stealing the lead back from LA less than four minutes into the second half.
It would be their last of the game.
Kawhi Leonard found a cutting Nicolas Batum on the ensuing possession, who threw down a slam dunk that would put the Clippers back on top for good. LA went on to extend its lead to as many as 12 points in the fourth quarter, fending off Luka Dončić and the Mavericks to earn their first win of the series.
After falling into a 30-11 hole in the first quarter, the Clippers outscored the Mavericks 107-78 the rest of the way. As coach Tyronn Lue put it after the game, it was the kind of fight that he had seen from his team all season.
"Just being resilient like we've been all year," Lue said. "You know, when our back is against the wall, we come out and fight and compete."
With their first playoff win out of the way, the Clippers will look to continue building momentum in Sunday's Game 4. For now, let's take a closer look at how LA got the job done on Friday.
Kawhi Leonard, Paul George Shoulder the Load
LA's win in Game 3 was a team effort, but the Clippers wouldn't have had a shot without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George's magnificent performances.
Leonard led the Clippers in scoring with 36 points and was the most efficient player of the evening, sinking 13 of his 17 field goal attempts from the field and all seven free throws. He rounded out his performance with eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal in a game-high 42 minutes of action.
George's outing was just as important. The All-Star wing poured in 29 points on 18 attempts and connected on all five of his free throws, giving him a true shooting percentage of 71.8%. He also stuffed the stat sheet, collecting seven rebounds, four assists and a steal while committing just one turnover.
"Kawhi and PG really put us on their shoulders," Lue said after the game. "I thought PG and Kawhi was fantastic. I thought PG really carried us in the first half, and then Kawhi in the second half, you know, really took over the game. That's what we need from those two guys."
Despite trailing 2-1, George and Leonard have had a dominant series. Through the first three games, Leonard is averaging an absurd 34.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.3 steals in 41.3 minutes per game. On the other hand, George is compiling 26.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and a steal across 40.7 minutes per game.
"I put a ton of work in this season, and now it's just about being confident in my game, being confident for my team," George said. "They trust me. They believe in me. I believe in the work that I've put in. So it's just, you know, now it's just using the tools that I've sharpened and just coming out and playing. Playing hard, competing. And just being in attack mode."
Dallas has yet to prove they have an answer defensively for Leonard and George, so expect them to continue cooking as the series progresses.
It's Just One Game
As exciting as it may have been for the Clippers to take Game 3, the team appears to be staying grounded and sticking to the philosophy it operated under after dropping Games 1 and 2.
This is a best-of-seven series, after all.
"[We] Won a basketball game," Leonard said. "Came out and kept our composure in that first quarter, and we were able to get a win. But we haven't done anything. We haven't done anything, so, you know, [we] won one game."
George echoed Leonard's comments, saying the Clippers "haven't shown anything" just yet. Rajon Rondo followed suit, downplaying the win and adding that the team "hasn't done anything special" for coming out on top. Marcus Morris Sr. directed attention to Game 4 and how the Clippers can get better.
From top to bottom, the Clippers aren't getting too high or too low. Instead, they're preaching about composure and focus, taking things one game at a time and avoiding looking ahead.
This shouldn't come as a surprise.
At the end of the day, the Clippers are a veteran team. Even though the franchise itself has never gone further than the second round of the playoffs, many involved in the organization have. The championship DNA and leadership ability that guys like Leonard, Rondo and Lue bring to the table is invaluable to a team in this position.
Maintaining their composure will be crucial for the Clippers as they look to come out of this series with a win.
Terance Mann Brings the Energy
After playing a minor role earlier in the series, Clippers swingman and spark plug Terance Mann completely changed the dynamic of Game 3 with his two-way performance.
The 24-year-old has been praised for his energy and maturity since the beginning of the season, and that's precisely what he demonstrated on Friday night. Mann logged four points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 19 minutes and was a +18 off the bench. Only Rondo (+22) had a higher rating.
"I love T-Mann, I seen since last year, this guy comes in and works every single day," Morris Sr. said after the game. "He wants to be better. He's a young player in this league that's up-and-coming. He's spirited, and we love that about him. He got a chance to get out there and do what he do, and we need a little bit of that."
Leonard was equal in his praise of the young Mann, describing him as "scrappy" and "[un]afraid of the moment."
Having shown to be capable of bringing a little electricity to the series, look for Mann to earn consistent minutes off the bench as LA and Dallas continue to battle it out.
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