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Clippers torched by Luka Doncic (44 points), Mavericks in tourney opener

November 11, 2023

DALLAS — The Clippers’ star-laden lineup is still searching for its first win together.

Luka Doncic scored 44 points and the Dallas Mavericks routed the Clippers, 144-126, on Friday night in an NBA In-Season Tournament game, the Clippers’ third straight loss since James Harden joined the lineup.

Doncic shot 17 for 21 from the field, going 6 for 9 from 3-point range. Kyrie Irving added 27 points, going 5 for 8 from behind the arc, to help Dallas improve to 1-1 in the tournament after an opening loss at Denver.

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 26 points in their tournament opener. Harden, who joined the team last week following the Nov. 1 trade from Philadelphia, had 14 points – all in the first quarter. Russell Westbrook also had 14.

“First quarter, felt really good on both ends of the ball,” Harden said. “From there, it just went downhill. Trying to find a balance of not trying to step on anyone’s toes but just trying to, like, still be aggressive myself.”

Harden stressed that it’s still early in his transition to the Clippers and he’s still trying to figure out “everything.”

“I didn’t have a training camp. I didn’t have a preseason,” Harden said. “Everything is still moving fast speed for me. Need about a 10-game window, then kind of see where I am.”

The Mavericks took control with a 47-18 second period and a 33-4 run in the first half that included 17 consecutive points, eight to finish the first quarter and nine to begin the second quarter. Their largest lead was 32 points early in the third period. They reached 100 points with 4½ minutes in the third and finished with their highest point total of the season.

“I keep saying, it’s not just us two,” Doncic said about himself and Irving. “We get stops. Everybody contributes. So, it’s not just two of us. Everybody helps us.”

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said a key to Harden’s success will involve keeping a big man on the court with him. The Clippers currently use more smaller lineups than usual with backup center Mason Plumlee lost for a period of months with an MCL sprain.

“Because of the way he runs pick-and-rolls,” Lue said. “He can get downhill and make every play.”

The Clippers’ Paul George was held to eight points, including his first scoreless first half since he joined the team in summer 2019. Leonard, Westbrook, Harden and George all sat out the fourth period.

The Clippers scored the first eight points and led 31-19 before the Mavericks took over. Dallas led 77-51 at the half, 10 points more than its previous highest-scoring first half.

The Mavericks came off their first home loss of the season, 127-116 to Toronto on Wednesday.

“I think it was a great bounce-back game,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “Luka set the tone, Kai, those two set the tone tonight, and the guys followed.”

COURT ISSUE

The Mavericks had to play their first In-Season Tournament game on their regular court – not the special-edition tournament court.

The NBA said “a manufacturing issue” kept the Mavericks from having a ready-for-tournament-play court delivered in time for Friday’s game, so Dallas’ regular home court was installed for the matchup instead.

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The Mavericks’ tournament court was supposed to be mostly silver, with a darker gray stripe down the center of the floor with three images of the NBA Cup – one at midcourt, the others in each of the foul lanes – displayed as well. All home courts for tournament games follow that design pattern, though the color schemes are wildly different in each city.

Some players have voiced concerns about the courts and their footing on the painted surface. Indiana players Myles Turner and Tyrese Haliburton both said they felt like they were slipping on the Pacers’ tournament floor when it debuted last week.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the court would be ready for Dallas’ next scheduled home game in the tournament, Nov. 28 against Houston. The tournament runs through Dec. 9.

UP NEXT

The Clippers host Memphis on Sunday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena.

Orange County Register

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Clippers torched by Luka Doncic (44 points), Mavericks in tourney opener

COURT ISSUE

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