Back at home, the Mavs finally manage to find Daniel Gafford (8 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks) and Derek Lively II (13 points) in the alley-oop after two complicated first games for the two pivots. Dallas also scores 16 of its 18 points in the paint but its external clumsiness allows the Clippers to take the lead thanks to 10 points from the Paul George – James Harden duo (23-18).
Three 3-pointers from James Harden (21 points, 5 assists, 5 lost balls) to start the second quarter push Los Angeles' lead to +7 but Luka Doncic rings the bell for the Mavericks (32-25). One way or another, the Slovenian is responsible for his team's next 12 points to turn the tide. Dallas passes a 22-7 to the Clippers to take an eight-point lead (41-34)!
With a transparent Kawhi Leonard (9 points, 9 rebounds, 4 lost balls) and a Paul George (7 points, 3/11 on shots) on the bench with three fouls, the Clippers attack continues to lose balls and their defense continues to get dissected by Luka Doncic. The Mavericks finished the half with a 29-9 lead to return to the locker room with a 13-length lead (54-41).
Kyrie Irving delivers the final blow
A new dunk from the Mavericks, this time from Derrick Jones Jr, increases the gap to +18 (63-45). Feeling the match slipping away from his team, Ty Lue sets up a 2-3 zone defense to break Dallas' rhythm and his poker move works. Luka Doncic misses six shots in a row and the locals thwart. Thanks to Ivica Zubac (19 points, 8 rebounds) and Norman Powell (21 points), the Clippers are gradually closing their gap to return to -6 (68-62).
It's Kyrie Irving (21 points, 6 assists), clumsy so far, who stops the bleeding. He scored 8 points in the last two minutes of the third quarter to revive Dallas (78-67). The awakening of Kyrie Irving triggers an avalanche that buries the Clippers. A 13-3 led by Doncic and Irving and punctuated by a monumental counter from Daniel Gafford on a dunk attempt from Paul George puts the Mavs at +21 (91-70)!
They therefore take the advantage in the series and put the Clippers' backs against the wall, before Game 4 on Sunday, still in Dallas.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Mavericks dunk festival in the first half. After 24 minutes of play in Game 3, the Mavs had 10 dunks… According to ESPN, this is the second highest total in a playoff game in the last 25 years! Luka Doncic, and to a lesser extent Kyrie Irving, had fun facing the Clippers' pick & roll defense. Luka Doncic as usual targeted Ivica Zubac. If the Croatian remained in a “drop”, the Mavs star fixed the pivot patiently to let his pivot pass behind the defense and send it to the alley-oop. If Zubac was at the height of the screen or ready to “trap”, Doncic also showed patience to find an unmarked teammate and create the gap. Doncic and Irving were at 10 assists at the break, and the duo Derek Lively II – Daniel Gafford at 19 points at 9/10 on shots.
– The nine minutes that turned the match around. With 9 minutes left in the second quarter, a 3-pointer from James Harden gives the Clippers a 7-point lead (32-25). They will concede a 29-9 before halftime from which they will never recover. Unable to stop opposing pick & rolls, the Clippers also increased the number of lost balls. The tone at the end of the first half continued during the last two quarters. The Clippers finished the game with 19 loose balls, including 10 in the second half, which gave the Mavs 29 points.
– Kawhi Leonard transparent, Paul George clumsy. For his second match back after three weeks of absence, Kawhi Leonard clearly lacked rhythm. He finished with 9 points on only 7 shots attempted and 4 lost balls. More than his statistical line, it is his attitude that surprises but he indicated after the match that his knee was bothering him. In any case, he will have to regain his sensations during Game 4. He will also need another Paul George. The guard scored 7 points on 3/11 shots and never seemed on track to make a difference in isolation. However, he did better than Russell Westbrook, expelled after compiling 1 point at 0/7 on shots.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
