Mavs - 'At A Physical Disadvantage' - Lose to Clippers, 126-111
The Dallas Mavericks spoke bravely in the Orlando Bubble after Thursday's 126-111 loss to the powerhouse Los Angeles Clippers, suggesting they harbor no fear of the prospects of being the No. 7 seed opening the first round of the NBA Playoffs against this same Clippers bunch, likely to finish with the No. 2 seed.
"We're a great team,'' said Luka Doncic, who scored 29 points to pair with Kristaps Porzingis' 30 to again provide Dallas with its usual offensive thrills. "We've always got chances, no matter what. Some people count us out, but we're not out."
But even during the game, coach Rick Carlisle told a truth about the present differences between the Clippers and the Dallas squad that is now 1-3 in the bubble.
"We're at a physical disadvantage at a lot of positions,'' Carlisle said frankly. "So our persistence will be key."
Dallas' "persistence'' was fine. But the Clippers have that, too ... and much more.
Kawhi Leonard scored 29 points, establishing why he's in the "best-player-on-the-planet'' conversation. Paul George scored 24 points. And a wild-card, center Ivica Zubac added 24 points on 10-for-10 shooting and 15 rebounds.
Dallas, which is 0-3 this season against the Clippers, used "persistence'' to fight back from a second-half deficit and got the game tied at 101 with 6:41 left. And to the Mavs' credit, defensive effort was part of the surge. Doncic in particular - known for doing the sort of things he in Tuesday's OT win over the Kings - 34 points, 20 rebounds and 12 assists - is in these last two games adding "defense'' to his resume.
”I think defensively he’s playing the best he’s ever played,'' Carlisle said of the Slovenian Sensation.
And yet ... the Clippers shot 54 percent against the Mavs for the game. And when they pushed to a 9-0 run midway through the fourth, it was part of their 62-percent shooting in that quarter.
"It was kind of a preview what could happen in the playoffs,'' Porzingis said. "They're one of the favorites to win it all. ... It's going to be a tough matchup but we're looking forward to the challenge.''
A "challenge'' indeed - especially when there is no denying that the Dallas Mavericks would enter that series "at a physical disadvantage.''
