Three Takeaways from the LA Clippers' Game 2 Loss to Dallas Mavericks
The LA Clippers pulled away late from the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1, but unfortunately, the team failed to show that same fight in their 127-114 Game 2 defeat on Wednesday night.
After going back-and-forth with LA in Game 1, Dallas led wire-to-wire on Wednesday night and were all over the Clippers from the jump.
Much like how LA got off to an 18-2 start on Monday, the Mavericks began Game 2 on a 15-2 run of their own. Though while Dallas managed to take the lead back in Game 1, the Clippers played from behind all night.
As a result, the series is now tied 1-1 going into Friday's Game 3, and the Mavericks have all the momentum.
Let's go over three things we can take away from LA's defeat.
Kawhi Leonard: As Consistent as They Come
Kawhi Leonard was, as usual, a bright spot in Game 2. The two-time Finals MVP recorded 35 points (10-21 FG, 13-14 FT, 2-6 3P), 10 rebounds, two assists and a steal in 41 minutes and was a -7 in a game the Clippers lost by 13.
A majority of those missed shots were great looks, too. Leonard had several of his attempts rim out — especially in the early going — that could have provided the team with some momentum. He played better than the numbers show.
He was aggressive on both ends of the floor but stood out on offense, deliberately attacking the paint, following his shot and seeking out contact. He rarely settled for jumpers, and when he had to take them, they went down more often than not.
This is what we should expect from Leonard in this series, and quite frankly, it's what he's done against this Mavericks team all year. Through five games, he's averaging 31.4 points, knocking down 46.9% of his looks from the field and taking 9.0 free throw attempts per game. Those are elite numbers.
There isn't an adjustment the Mavs can make that will keep Leonard from burning them. He'll keep doing this night after night, and as long as he remains consistent, the Clippers will have the opportunity to control the series.
Crucial Stretch Kills Clippers
Although the Clippers never led in Game 2, there were a few times when they came close to evening things up.
Most of those opportunities came in the third quarter. LA trimmed the lead down to two points on three separate occasions, and each time, Dallas closed the gap.
The final time it got down to two, though, was what put the Clippers out of the game.
With 2:28 to play in the third, Montrezl Harrell got a shot to go at the rim that made it an 85-83 game.
The Mavericks responded with an 11-0 run over the next 1:22 that included two three-point makes from Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dorian Finney-Smith, three free throws from Kristaps Porzingis after he was fouled beyond the arc, and a pull-up jumper from Trey Burke.
Rather than going into the fourth quarter in a one-possession game, the Clippers found themselves down 13 with 12 minutes to go — Dallas' largest lead since there was 6:14 to play in the first half.
It was a brutal stretch that LA never managed to recover from, as the Clippers failed to trim the Mavs' lead to single-digits from that point on.
Moving forward, LA will need to make a more disciplined effort defensively — especially in close situations. Dallas is capable of going on a run at a moment's notice.
Mavs Bench Heats Up
As impressive as Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis were in Game 2, Dallas' bench is ultimately what won the game.
Trey Burke, Seth Curry and Boban Marjanovic combined for 44 points on 19-of-28 shooting — an absolute backbreaker for LA.
Burke was the leading scorer of the group, logging 16 points in 18 minutes, but Curry was arguably the most important. He recorded 15 points, three rebounds and three assists in 26 minutes and was a +30 in a 13-point victory.
"I just thought their bench outplayed our bench and our starters," Doc Rivers said after the game. "Between Seth, Bobi and Burke... Their percentage was insane. A lot of it was just beating us off the dribble, making plays, running pick-and-rolls, switches. Bobi played fantastic for them tonight. You just give them credit."
Conversely, the Clipper bench recorded 37 points — a fair effort, but well below average for a second unit that led the league in points per game during the regular season.
Some of that is to be expected, as Montrezl Harrell is still working his way back from a five-month absence and Reggie Jackson played with the starters in the absence of Patrick Beverley.
Lou Williams had a great game, too, going for 23 points, four rebounds and seven assists in 32 minutes. But LA will need a more well-rounded effort moving forward on both ends of the floor.
Looking Ahead
The LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks will play Game 3 of the series this Friday, Aug. 21 at 9:00 p.m. ET. The contest will air on TNT and Fox Sports Prime Ticket.
