Game 3 Recap Pod: Luka, Kawhi & 'The Kitchen Sink'
Sometimes it's just not your night. That's what the Dallas Mavericks experienced to the fullest on Friday night, as the team not only lost Game 3 of their first round series to the Los Angeles Clippers, 130-122, but superstar Luka Doncic to a nasty-looking ankle injury as well. The Mavs still showed a lot of heart after Doncic couldn't continue, but Kawhi Leonard's dominant performance was just too much to overcome.
READ MORE: Mavs Lose Game 3 To Clippers - And Lose Luka Doncic, Too
On this episode, the guys recap Game 3 from every angle. Despite the Mavs outscoring the Clippers 37-28 in the fourth quarter, it wasn't enough to overcome the second quarter, where the Clippers outscored the Mavs 45-31. Doncic became the first Maverick to ever record a triple-double in the playoffs with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, but his night was cut short due to his ankle injury. Doncic is scheduled to have an MRI on his ankle today, and his status for Game 4 in question.
READ MORE: Mavs Luka Doncic Will Get MRI On Ankle, Insists 'It's Not That Bad'
As good as Porzingis was (34 points and 13 rebounds while shooting 61 percent from the field), and as much as the rest of Doncic's teammates tried to rally in his absence late in the game, Kawhi Leonard's dominant performance of 36 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, combined with his stellar defensive effort as well, was just too much to overcome.
"You play a team like the Clippers, you've got to be ready to throw the kitchen sink at them," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said of defending Leonard ... especially in Sunday's Game 4. "The layups are the ones that really get us, so we'll look at that. We'll look at everything."
All of that being said, the Mavs have nothing to hang their heads about, as they've competed with the Clippers in every single game of this series so far, something many people didn't think they would do, considering how the regular-season matchups between these two teams went. The future is bright for this up-and-coming Mavs team, and we're witnessing the growth with each passing game. Enjoy our detailed Game 3 recap, as well as our words of encouragement. Thanks for listening!
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