Clippers Draw First Blood Against Mavericks in Game 1 Blowout

The Los Angeles Clippers struck the opening salvo in their first round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks with a resounding 109-97 victory in Game 1 on Sunday. Despite missing star forward Kawhi Leonard due to injury, the Clippers put on a balanced offensive display and suffocated the Mavs defensively to seize an early 1-0 series lead.  

The home team set an aggressive tone from the opening tip, racing out to a 34-22 lead after the first quarter. Any hopes of a Dallas comeback were quickly extinguished as LA poured it on in the second frame, outscoring their opponents 22-8 to extend the margin to 26 points at halftime.  

While the Mavericks managed to make the final score look somewhat respectable with a late fourth quarter surge, the reality is this game was firmly in LA’s control from start to finish. The Clippers’ lead peaked at 29 points as they led wire-to-wire in an utterly dominant performance.

Balanced Attack Leads Way for Clippers

With Leonard sidelined, the spotlight shifted to the rest of the Clippers’ star-studded lineup to pick up the slack. That collection of talent answered the call emphatically, led by the brilliant all-around game of James Harden. 

The former MVP paced LA with 28 points on an efficient 8-17 shooting night that included six makes from beyond the arc. Harden chipped in eight assists, two rebounds, and two blocks in arguably his best game in a Clippers uniform to date.

But Harden had plenty of support as five LA players scored in double figures against an overmatched Mavs defense. Paul George tallied 22 points, drilling four triples of his own, while the ultra-efficient Ivica Zubac took advantage of his size inside with 20 points on 10-17 shooting along with 15 rebounds.

Rounding out the Clippers’ well-balanced attack were key contributions off the bench from Terance Mann (13 points) and former MVP Russell Westbrook, who helped swing the game with 13 points in a reserve role.  

Dallas Duo Lacks Supporting Cast

While LA shared the wealth, the same cannot be said about the Dallas offense. For all the heroic efforts of stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the lack of auxiliary scoring proved disastrous against the Clippers’ stout defense.

Doncic battled through an off shooting night, pouring in 33 points but needing 26 shots to do so. The Slovenian wunderkind added 13 rebounds and six assists but lacked his usual efficiency from the field. Irving posted 31 points of his own, continuing his late season resurgence since coming over from Brooklyn at the trade deadline.

Yet aside from those two standouts, the rest of the Dallas roster laid an egg offensively. Reserve forward P.J. Washington was the only other Maverick in double figures with 11 points. Tim Hardaway Jr. mustered just six points off the bench, and starting center Daniel Gafford was a near-invisible presence in the middle with three points in 14 minutes.

If the Mavericks’ supporting cast performances don’t improve rapidly, it could turn into a long series against the deeper, more talented Clippers.

Clippers Catch Fire From Deep

A major catalyst in LA’s Game 1 rout was their red-hot three-point shooting. The Clippers knocked down an eye-popping 18-36 attempts from beyond the arc, good for an even 50% conversion rate. Harden and George hit 10 of those triples on their own, showing the kind of perimeter firepower that can bury teams in the modern NBA playoffs.  

Conversely, the Dallas long-range numbers were a horror show, draining just 10-33 from deep (30.3%). When facing such a disparity in three-point efficiency, it’s little wonder the Clippers largely ran away with the game.

LA’s aerial assault may have reached unsustainable levels from a single-game perspective. But at minimum, it showcased how potent the Clippers can be when getting good looks and knocking down shots from deep. Dallas will need to do a much better job running LA off the three-point line to avoid repeated barrages from long distance.

Zubac Dominates in the Middle

With Leonard out, there were questions about who would provide the Clippers with an interior presence to counter Dallas’ size. Zubac emphatically answered that call, producing arguably the best postseason performance of his NBA career to date.

In addition to his 20 points on 10-17 shooting, the 25-year-old Croatian poured in a game-high 15 rebounds, repeatedly crashing the glass at both ends. Zubac’s impact was apparent early as he tallied 12 points and seven boards in the first half alone.  

The Clippers will be tough to beat if Zubac maintains this level of production in the middle, controlling the paint while also providing a reliable scoring option in the post. His dominance rendered Dallas starting center Daniel Gafford a non-factor and put the Mavericks in an early hole they could never escape.

Mavericks Face Pivotal Game 2 Test

Going down 0-1 at home certainly puts Dallas in an unenviable early series position, but their response in Game 2 on Tuesday will be critical. Historically, the Mavericks have struggled against the Clippers in recent playoff matchups, with LA now holding a 4-2 postseason series advantage over Doncic’s teams.

This is hardly unfamiliar territory for the Mavericks – in the Doncic era, Dallas has now fallen behind 0-1 in three straight playoff series, including both of their previous first round exits at the hands of the Clippers in 2020 and 2021. Digging out of an early 0-2 hole becomes exponentially more difficult, particularly against an opponent as talented as LA.

The onus will be on Doncic and Irving to raise their respective games to another level offensively while finally getting some much-needed support from teammates. On the flip side, the Clippers have a prime opportunity to plant their flag early with a commanding 2-0 lead before the series shifts back to Dallas.

An emboldened LA squad that just knocked off the hotly-favored Suns in last year’s Western Conference semifinals will be brimming with confidence on their home floor. Should the Mavs fail to respond in Game 2, the series could swiftly spiral out of their control.

Game 1 served as an emphatic opening statement delivered by the shorthanded Clippers. Now it’s up to Dallas to counter that with a response worthy of their postseason aspirations. Otherwise, the path out of this opening round could become uncomfortably narrow before the series even heads back to Big D.