Clippers, down 3-2, head to Dallas leaning on recent history

LOS ANGELES — After enjoying their worst sport of the sequence and dropping Recreation 5 in what might have been their ultimate sport at Crypto.com Enviornment, the LA Clippers head to Dallas believing they’ll keep away from elimination as a result of they’ve performed it earlier than in opposition to the Mavericks.

In the course of the first spherical in 2021, the Clippers went to Dallas down 3-2, solely to win and pressure a Recreation 7. They went on to advance after successful 3 times in Dallas throughout that sequence.

The Clippers are leaning on that have after taking pictures an abysmal 9-for-35 from behind the arc and searching like they’d no reply for Dallas’ protection in a 123-93 loss Wednesday night time.

“We simply did not play nicely, throughout, defensively, offensively,” Clippers coach Ty Lue stated. “We simply did not play an excellent sport, and that is OK. Flip the web page. You continue to acquired to win 4 video games, and we all know we [can] win on that ground.”

They may lean on their latest historical past in opposition to the Mavericks within the postseason, having crushed Dallas in six video games in a 2020 first-round sequence and once more in seven video games within the first spherical the next postseason.

And so they simply received Recreation 4 in Dallas on Sunday.

“We have proven that previous two playoff sequence,” Lue stated of having the ability to win in Dallas. “We had been down 3-2 [in 2021]. We did not play our greatest sport and we perceive that. I believe all of us perceive that collectively. So we’ll be higher for Recreation 6.”

Requested what it can take to bounce again from the worst postseason loss in franchise historical past, Lue stated his crew has no selection however to reply.

“Mentally, understanding that if we lose Recreation 6, our season’s over,” Lue defined. “So in case you’re a competitor, and you understand what the playoffs are all about, then you may be able to go on Friday.”

After all, when the Clippers beat the Mavericks in each earlier playoff sequence, they’d a wholesome Kawhi Leonard. This sequence, Leonard has missed the previous two video games due to irritation in his surgically repaired proper knee. He continues to attempt to get the irritation to go down with day by day therapy.

However Lawrence Frank, Clippers president of basketball operations, stated his star will not be cleared to play till he can transfer the way in which he did when he performed 35 minutes in his return in Recreation 2 after over three weeks off.

With out Leonard, the Clippers had their worst night time offensively within the sequence. James Harden, who had been excellent and averaged 30.5 factors within the earlier two Clippers wins with out Leonard, shot simply 2-for-12, together with 1-for-7 from the 3-point line. He completed with 7 factors, 7 assists and 4 turnovers.

“Being human,” Lue stated when requested what led to Harden’s powerful night time. “He is allowed to have a nasty sport. We did not shoot the ball nicely. They tried to stand up and stress somewhat bit, which we did not deal with like we had within the first 4 video games. He performed dangerous. It is attainable. He did not play nicely.

“So I acquired to do a greater job getting him in higher conditions after which being prepared for Recreation 6, which I do know he’ll be higher.”

Harden and Paul George every scored 33 factors within the Recreation 4 win in Dallas. However George shot 4-for-13 on Wednesday, ending with 15 factors and 11 rebounds.

Russell Westbrook additionally had a tough taking pictures night time, going 2-for-11 from the sector, ending with 6 factors and 5 rebounds.

At one level from late within the first quarter to late within the third quarter, the Clippers missed 16 straight 3-point makes an attempt.

Defensively, the crew gambled an excessive amount of within the first half, going for steals or attempting to pressure turnovers, leaving the Clippers uncovered.

Mavericks star Luka Doncic had 35 factors, 10 assists and seven rebounds. However position gamers corresponding to Maxi Kleber made the Clippers pay for his or her errors, making 5 of seven from behind the arc for 15 factors.

Subsequent season, the Clippers are shifting into their new enviornment, the Intuit Dome, in Inglewood, California. If the Clippers will not be in a position to win in Dallas on Friday, Recreation 5 can have been their ultimate dwelling sport at Crypto.com Enviornment.

The Clippers actually hope they’ll return for a Recreation 7.

“The uncharacteristic errors that we made,” George stated. “That wasn’t who we have been on this sequence. That is not who we’re. So we acquired to get higher. Particularly on this state of affairs, the possibility to go up 3-2, and never make the most of that chance.

“However, we have been right here earlier than. Going to Dallas, being down 3-2. It is acquired to be a win, and our mentality we have now is to attempt to go get a win in Dallas.”