The Clippers are on the ropes: They are down 2-1 going into a Game 4 on the road. Of course, Clippers fans know better than most that being down 3-1 is not the end of the story, but Kawhi’s injury looms large over the Clippers’ chances of turning this series around.

Game Information

Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

When: 12:30 PM PT

How to Watch: ABC, Watch ESPN, AM 570

Tickets: For great deals on Clippers tickets, check out Barry’s Tickets! 

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: James Harden – Terance Mann – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Ivica Zubac

Mavericks: Kyrie Irving – Luka Doncic – Derrick Jones Jr. – PJ Washington – Daniel Gafford

Injuries

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard Questionable (Knee)

Mavericks: Luka Doncic Questionable (Knee), Tim Hardaway Jr. Out (Ankle), Olivier Maxence-Prosper Out (Ankle)

Notes

Kawhi’s Health: In our Game 3 preview, Rob wrote “[t]he first two games have shown the Clippers might not need superstar Kawhi to win this series, but they do need a version better than the guy who showed up in Game 2 and couldn’t make a jumper outside of 15 feet.” Well, after three games, I think that sentiment remains the same. But Rob then said, “[h]opefully Kawhi looks fresher and has more legs under him in this one.” That hope now seems more like a prayer. In Game Three, Kawhi clearly did not look right, and the Clippers’ limited him to just 24 minutes because of it. As noted above, Kawhi is listed as “Questionable” again, but it feels a little closer to “Doubtful” than his status before Friday’s game.

James Harden: Through three games, Harden is averaging 23.7 points, seven assists, and a steal on 47.7% shooting from the field and 44.8% from three. That is about as good as one could hope from the Clippers’ (in theory) third best player, especially given that his shot volume has gone up by about three attempts per game compared to the regular season. He probably could be doing more to get the Clippers’ offense more organized, but it is hard to have a flowing offense with Kawhi’s injury limitations. In fact, the Clippers’ offense looked much more organized in Game One, in which Harden was the Clipper’s clear leader on the floor (along with Ivica Zubac).

The Mavericks: The Mavericks have only scored over 100 points once this series, despite averaging over 115 points per game during the regular season. In Game Three, they shot the same percentage (45%) as the Clippers and were under 30% from the behind the three point line. So how did they blow out the Clippers in Game Three? Possessions: They had three more offensive rebounds and turned the ball over 11 fewer times than the Clippers. That translated to 16 more shots from the floor. The Mavericks do not feel like the better team—but they are playing better. They have had more focus, chemistry, and energy than the Clippers, which is in stark contrast to the Clippers’ clear frustration, which spilled out during multiple shoving matches on Friday night.

Bottom Line: Kawhi’s injury is the only factor that truly matters. If he is the Kawhi we have seen all year, and in previous playoff series against the Mavs, then the Clippers have more than enough to even this series up before heading back home to LA.

Disclaimer: 213Hoops may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this post.

Clippers vs. Mavs Game 4 Preview: Kawhi’s injury looms large
Kenneth Armstrong

This Clippers are officially on a win streak for the first time since late December. They used their health advantage to keep the Mavericks under 100 points, and let Kawhi Leonard take over down the stretch. Read more in our recap below:

Summary

The Clippers started the game well but the Mavericks controlled most of the first half. Still, though, the Clippers were able to take Dallas’ 10 point lead down to five going into halftime. The Mavericks were led by 13 points from Spencer Dinwiddie and 11 each from Tim Hardaway, Jr. and Luka Doncic. For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard had 12 but the next highest scorer had just eight—Reggie Jackson, who hit two threes late in the second quarter.

The Clippers’ defense was much more locked in to start the game, only giving up 20 points in the first quarter. Moreover, although they gave up 34 in the second quarter, they kept the Mavericks under 45% shooting. The only problem was the eight offensive rebounds allowed, though those did not hurt too much because the Mavericks only had five second-chance points in the first half.

The Clippers won the third quarter by 5 points, 30-25. They were led by Kawhi and George, who had nine and eight points respectively. Doncic had a big, 13 point quarter. Other than him, though, Dallas’ offense was limited. Worse was their defense, fouling the Clippers 7 times, resulting in 12 free throws (of which the Clippers made all of them).

Kawhi Leonard blew the game open in the fourth, securing the Clippers’ win without too much resistance from the Mavericks. He had another nine point quarter, and was joined by Norman Powell, who had 11 points. The Clippers continued to keep Doncic under control and only gave up 19 points to the Mavericks in the fourth.

Notes

Checking In on Zubac: Zubac had six points on 2/6 shooting, five rounds, and two turnovers in 23 minutes. Over the course of the season, his rebounds and blocks have declined each month. His effective field goal percentage is now below 60% this month for the first time all season, and his January net-rating is -8.3 (-4.1 over the whole season). Now, these stats are admittedly out of context, and the the Clippers’ poor play in general might be the simple explanation, but the eye-test says that Zubac is far less dominant on the defensive end as of late, after having a monster start of the season.

Not-flashy-but-good Covington Game: Although I have recognized the need for more size coming off the bench, I have been skeptical that Robert Covington was the answer. Early in the year, Covington showed signs of poor decision making with rushed shots, bad fouls, and by generally not playing within himself. [I think I was pretty much alone on this opinion within Clipper Nation.] But today is the type of game the Clippers could use from Covington: Five rebounds, six assists, two steals, a block, and only three fouls in 21 minutes. Sure, he was 1/4 from the field—but the shots were not totally unreasonable. If Covington can stay within his narrow lane, he definitely should continue to get the minutes he has been seeing recently.

That about does it for this recap of the Clippers’ win against the Mavs. As always, check out The Lob The Jam The Podcast and Clips ‘N Dip for analysis throughout the week, and follow us on Twitter to watch the game with us!

Kawhi, Clippers close out Mavericks, 112-98
Kenneth Armstrong

The LA Clippers are still on the road but they’re staying in Texas, taking the quick flight from San Antonio to Dallas. The Clippers took care of business against the Spurs, but they need to keep moving in the right direction. Check out our preview of the Clippers’ next step below:

Game Information

Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

When: 11:30 AM PT

How to Watch: ClipperVision, Bally Sports SoCal

How to Listen: AM 570 KLAC

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: Terance Mann – Paul George – Kawhi Leonard – Marcus Morris, Sr. – Ivica Zubac

Mavericks: Luka Doncic – Spencer Dinwiddie – Dorian Finney-Smith – Reggie Bullock – Dwight Powell

Injuries

Clippers: Luke Kennard, Out (calf); John Wall, Out (abdominal); Brandon Boston Jr, Out (G-League); Moussa Diabate, Out (G-League); Jason Preston Out (G-League)

Mavericks: Maxi Kleiber, Out (hamstring); Christian Wood, Out (hand); McKinley Wright IV, Out (foot)

The Big Picture

There is not a team the Clippers have played in the Kawhi-George era more than the Dallas Mavericks. These teams know each other extremely well, and the series is fairly close since the 2019-2020 season, with the Clippers winning seven of the last twelve games between the two.

The home team has held serve so far, as the season series is currently as 1-1. Since the Clippers beat the Mavericks on January 10th, both teams have lost three of their last five games.

In sum, both of these teams really need this game, but they must go through an opponent who knows them very well. The Clippers—assuming everyone who played in San Antonio plays in Dallas—will have a health advantage. The addition of Wood to the injury report makes the Mavericks’ already-thin front court even thinner. If Kawhi, George, and Norm continue to attack down-hill, the Clippers should be able to find easy baskets.

The Antagonist

The Clippers recent win, however, was not exactly convincing. They beat the 14th seed in the Western Conference by merely five points and provided almost no resistance for the majority of the game. Luka, of course, is significantly better than any scoring threat found in San Antonio, so it will take a major course-correction for this defense to contain him. The Mavericks are also a pretty good home court team, winning .700 of their games in Dallas so far. If Paul George is still limited by his hamstring, the Clippers might not be able to outpace the Mavericks offense.

Notes

Rooting Interests for Sunday, Jan. 22: 

• Heat over Pelicans
• Nuggets over Thunder
• Grizzlies over Suns
• Nets over Warriors
• Lakers vs. Blazers—coin flip. We need both of these teams to keep losing.

That about does it for this preview of the Clippers’ upcoming game against the Mavericks. As always, check out The Lob The Jam The Podcast and Clips ‘N Dip for analysis throughout the week, and follow us on Twitter to watch the game with us!

Clippers vs. Mavericks Game Preview: Early Tip in Dallas
Kenneth Armstrong

The LA Clippers could not complete their big second-half comeback; instead, they fell to the Dallas Mavericks, 103-101, on the road. The two halves of this game were day and night for the Clippers, but the hole dug in the first half turned out to be too deep to climb out of. Check out our recap below:

Summary

The Clippers looked like a team who was playing their third game, in a third city, in a four day stretch (which they in fact were) and gave the Mavericks a 22 point lead at the half (and the deficit was as big as 25). The Clippers were getting beat everywhere: they were shooting 34.4% from the field, 33.3% from three, getting out rebounded, out assisted, and outscored in the paint in the first half. The only category in which the Clippers were leading the Mavericks was turnovers: they had 12 to the Mavs’ 7. Nicolas Batum was the only standout, with three first-half three pointers out of three attempts.

The second half started slow for both teams, but the Clippers would go on to win the third quarter 33-15—almost completely wiping out the Mavericks’ lead. John Wall led the way with 10 points in the quarter. He was supported by 9 from Marcus Morris, Sr. and 8 from Paul George. Luka Dončić also had 10 in the frame, but the Mavericks’ overall shooting percentage in the quarter was 27% (including missing 9 out of 10 threes).

Unfortunately for the Clippers, the Mavericks got hot from three in the fourth, hitting seven out of 11 in the fourth. For the Clippers, Paul George led with 9 points but the real star was Nico Batum, who hit four out of four threes, keeping the Clippers’ comeback on life support with each one. But Reggie Bullock also hit four threes, getting mostly open looks as the Clippers’ defense scrambled trying to keep up with traps and rotations. In the end, the Clippers’ comeback slipped away after Nico Batum’s perfectly aimed, intentionally missed free throw went off Robert Covington’s hands. (The Clippers were down two, so an offensive rebound and put-back could have forced overtime.)

Notes

Luke Kennard Leaves Early: Three minutes into the game, Luke Kennard left the game limping. He was soon after ruled out for the rest of the game due to a right calf strain. Although we do not have any additional information, the injury does not sound good and Luke has been one of the best Clippers this year, so this injury is definitely a big concern. (After the game, Ty Lue did not have an update.)

Paul George’s Heavy Load: This was the first time since the 2021 playoffs (h/t Law Murray) that Paul George played the whole second half (he played 41 total minutes). While he certainly helped lead the Clippers’ comeback, he got tired and turned the ball over repeatedly at crucial moments. He finished the game with 10 turnovers (the Clippers as a team had 21). Unfortunately , with Kawhi’s continued absence and now Kennard’s new injury, the Clippers will need George to be the superstar he has been over the last 10 or so games.

Congrats to Nico Batum: Going into this game, Nico was shooting 23.5% from three despite shooting 40% for the last two seasons. Tonight, though, he was perfect—7/7. According to the Clippers, he is now the only player in franchise history to be 7/7 or better in a single game. Hopefully, this will jump start his shooting for the rest of the season.

The Robert Covington Question: Since Covington missed time due to illness, Ty Lue has not given him consistent minutes. He did play five minutes tonight and 19 against the Rockets, but he has also received a few DNP-CDs. On one hand, Covington is (in theory) helpful on the boards, is an above-average defender, and can shoot a little bit. On the other hand, though, I still question his decision making. After making a nice three tonight, he chucked another one and had two turnovers in just five minutes. Over eight games, averaging almost 15 minutes, he is just averaging 4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and one assist. His splits are 40/35/87.5. Playing him more might increase those numbers, but the Clippers have a very small margin of error, so it seems like Ty Lue would rather increase the minutes of Paul George and the rest of the newly-established 8 man rotation.

That about does it for this recap of the Clippers’ game against the Mavs. As always, check out The Lob The Jam The Podcast and Clips ‘N Dip for analysis throughout the week, and follow us on Twitter to watch the game with us!

Clippers’ comeback in Dallas falls short, 103-101
Kenneth Armstrong

The LA Clippers will finish their second trip to Texas in Dallas, taking on the Mavericks on the second night of a back-to-back. Last night, the Clippers beat the Rockets in convincing fashion. The Mavericks, however, are a much better team than the Rockets and will have the rest advantage, so the Clippers will have to dig deep to secure a win. Check out our preview of Tuesday’s Clippers-Mavericks game below:

Game Information

Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

When: 5:30 PM PT

How to Watch: ClippersVision, Bally Sports SoCal

How to Listen: AM 570 KLAC

Projected Starting Lineups

Clippers: Reggie Jackson – Luke Kennard – Paul George – Marcus Morris, Sr. – Ivica Zubac

Mavericks: Luke Dončić – Spencer Dinwiddie – Dorian Finney-Smith – Reggie Bullock – Dwight Powell

Injuries

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard, out (knee injury management)

Cavaliers: Davis Bertans, out (knee)

The Big Picture

The Clippers have won six of their last eight games and have seen a few players get back on track. Specifically, Terance Mann and Norman Powell have both been more comfortable in their roles, and Reggie Jackson’s shooting percentages are up significantly from October to November.

The Clippers have also become a sneakily strong road team: they are 5-2 away from LA so far, and their only two losses were against the Oklahoma City Thunder before they started to build this new-found chemistry. To be fair, they have not had an east coast trip or really left California or the southwest yet, but the Clippers have taken care of business nonetheless.

Finally, John Wall should be available for the Clippers on Tuesday after sitting out against the Rockets. Wall’s ability to push the pace will be especially helpful against the Mavericks. Dallas is the slowest team in the league (95.43 Pace), and the Clippers’ 104.13 Pace with John Wall on the court would lead the league. If Wall can get the Mavericks on their heels—especially with his fresh legs—the Clippers can control the game in his minutes.

The Antagonist

The Mavericks will have the rest advantage tonight to go along with their home court advantage: Dallas also played on Saturday, but they have been off since. Last season, the Clippers were 1-1 in Dallas (2-2 over the season series). Historically, in Dallas, the Clippers are an abysmal 28-57 (though 2-2 in the Ty Lue era). For whatever reason, the American Airlines Center has not been a comfortable place for the Clippers.

Moreover, Luka Doncic has been on a tear to start the season, averaging 34 points, along with 8 rebounds and 8 assists (and he’s coming off of a 42 point game). He is also leads the league in usage. As always, the Clippers will have to get creative with their coverage of Luka. In the past, Ty Lue has tried Ivica Zubac as the primary defender or even letting Luka “punch himself out.” That is, playing into Luka’s instinct to do everything himself on offense but playing the shooters around him tight. This has allowed Luka to average 31.4 points per game against the Clippers yet only win 5 games out of 12.

Without Kawhi and given how much Paul George has to do on offense, containing Luka will be a tall task yet again. Moreover, Dallas is one of the league leaders in steals, bench net rating, and points allowed per game.

That about does it for this preview of the Clippers’ game against the Mavs. As always, check out The Lob The Jam The Podcast and Clips ‘N Dip for analysis throughout the week, and follow us on Twitter to watch the game with us!

Clippers vs. Mavericks Game Preview
Kenneth Armstrong

In the second game of this mini series in Dallas, the Clippers punched back, evening the season series with the Mavericks. Ty Lue (“Mr. I’ll Try Anything“) once again came up with a tactical adjustment to make Luka Doncic one dimensional: Put Zubac on it and let him get shots up (he took 33), but limit his playmaking and force him to turn the ball over (Doncic finished with eight assists and seven TOs). For the Clippers, it was once again Reggie Jackson who closed this one out. Check out the game summary and notes below!

Game Summary

After our preview predicted that LA Clippers’ head coach Ty Lue would try to keep Ivica Zubac off of Luka Doncic on the defensive end, we instead saw Zubac picking Doncic up by design. Overall, Zubac did a pretty good job but the Mavericks ultimately finished the first quarter with a three point lead, 26-23. They were led by 10 points from Jalen Brunson and nine from Doncic. Although Clippers’ ball movement and pace looked good to start, they were only 2/11 from three, including several missed open looks. Marcus Morris, Sr. led the Clippers with 10 points (4/7) after 12 minutes.

The Clippers second unit, led by Amir Coffey and Terance Mann (technically a starter on Saturday night), started the second quarter with a 12-4 run, giving the Clippers a 35-30 lead with 8:30 left in the quarter. The Clippers would go on to narrowly hold onto the lead, going into halftime up by one, 49-48. Amir Coffey had nine in the second quarter.

After a back-and-forth third quarter, the Clippers ended the third quarter with a three point lead. The Mavericks had seven turnovers, but the Clippers’ outside shooting was nonexistent, so the Mavs were able to stay in it. The Clippers’ rebounding woes also gave the Mavs extra opportunities to attack.

The fourth quarter, predictably, turned into Luka Doncic pounding the air out of the ball. He would have 23 points in the final frame, while the rest of his teammates combined for just seven. Reggie Bullock— who was huge for the Mavericks all game—only took two shots in the fourth, making a three, even though he played the whole quarter. In the first three quarters, he had 14 points (4/8 from three).

Ultimately, the Clippers were able to close this one out thanks to eight fourth quarter points from Reggie Jackson, six from Mann, and five from Kennard.

Game Notes

Terance Mann’s aggressiveness: Terance had a season-high 21 points, along with nine rebounds, two assists, and a steal. He did a great job of pushing the ball and getting downhill (Morris loved it too). His perpetual beef with Doncic also continued, as the two shared a moment during the fourth quarter and earned double-techs.

Batum’s quiet night: In my preview, I wondered aloud what might be going on with Nico Batum. After tonight, I still have questions. In 20 minutes, Nico only took two shots (0/2), and had two rebounds, zero assists, zero steals, and a turnover. When the Clippers get wins without the need to over-extend Batum, I am cool with it. But I do think Ty Lue needs to think about how to keep him engaged on both ends because he’ll be vital in big games, playoffs or otherwise.

That does it for this recap of the second game of this mini series with the Mavericks. Stay tuned to the website for more news and analysis!

Clippers vs. Mavericks Recap: LA evens series, win 99-97
Kenneth Armstrong

In the first game of this mini series, the LA Clippers could not overcome Luka Doncic’s first quarter outburst, ultimately falling to the Mavericks on the road, 112-105. The Clippers get a chance to even the season series against the Mavericks on Saturday. Check out the preview below!

Game Information

Where: America Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

When: 5:30 p.m. PT

How to Tune in: Bally Sports SoCal, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

LA Clippers: Reggie Jackson – Terance Mann – Nicolas Batum – Marcus Morris – Ivica Zubac

Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic – Jalen Brunson – Reggie Bullock – Dorian Finney-Smith – Dwight Powell

Injury Report

Clippers: Norman Powell Questionable (Toe), Kawhi Leonard Out (Knee), Jason Preston Out (Foot), (Ankle), Paul George Out (Elbow), Jay Scrubb Out (Foot)

Mavs: Tim Hardaway Jr. Out (Foot), Marquese Chriss Out (Knee)

The Big Picture

On Thursday, the Clippers scored one more field goal than the Mavericks, but the Mavs edged them out from behind the arc and at the free throw line. Moreover, although Doncic (and his gimmicks) put up 51 points, he only had six assists and the next highest scoring Maverick was Dorian Finney-Smith with just 12 points. The game was essentially even, when you take away the Doncic’s first quarter outburst.

While the Mavericks will still have the best player in Saturday’s match up, the Clippers have a distinct coaching advantage. It is more than reasonable to expect Ty Lue to make the requisite defensive adjustments to slow down Doncic; after the game, in fact, Lue already had a few ideas. Moreover, Thursday’s game was, simply put, weirdly officiated. There were a few blown and/or “star” calls that hurt the Clippers. On Saturday, the Clippers should get off to a better start, armed with a better defensive game plan, and have a chance to even up the season series against the Mavericks.

The Antagonist

Unfortunately, the Clippers’ best player on the active roster is questionable for Saturday’s game. As he said after the game, Powell has a bruise on the bottom of his big toe, which is causing him pain. Although he had a rough start to Thursday’s game, Powell finished with 19 points on 5/14 shooting (1/3 from three). He also got to the free throw line several times, going 8/10, which played a significant role in the Clippers’ attempted comeback. If Powell does not play, the Clippers will need a lot more from Reggie Jackson, who already had an efficient 18 points and 8 assists on Thursday.

Marcus Morris, Sr. also finished with a nice stat line: 21 points on 9/16 shooting (3/6 from three). Again, the Clippers’ Thursday box score looked fine, if you cut out the first quarter. Therefore, if Powell does not play, the Clippers will have to compensate for his absence, implement new defensive scheme, and out-perform what they did on Thursday. That will be a tough request from this Clippers roster—and that’s not even factoring in the Mavericks’ trade deadline acquisitions (Bertans and Dinwiddie), who might play on Saturday.

Clippers vs. Mavs Game Notes

• Rebounding, rebounding, rebounding: The Clippers were out-rebounded by 10 on Thursday, including giving up eight offensive rebounds. Even if the Clippers have a small lineup on the floor, there needs to be a renewed (again) focus on rebounding. Powell led the team with six, which is a big problem. Zubac only had three in his 26 minutes; Covington only had two in ten minutes; and Morris had none in his 32 minutes. If the Clippers’ cannot correct this on Saturday, the Mavericks will continue to find open three-point shooters after long, offensive rebounds.
• What’s up with Nico Batum?: Batum has had a tough season, being in and out of the lineup and dealing with injuries. But he’s been in the lineup consistently since before the new year, and he’s had a negative plus-minus in eight of his last ten games. Yes, the fact that he’s been playing with the struggling starters plays a big role in +/-, but the eye-test confirms that he has not been as big of a factor as we have come to expect. Basically, it seems like he either has a big night from three or is a non-factor—and we’ve seen more of the latter, recently. It would be great to see Ty Lue run a few plays for Batum to help him get going.

That does it for our preview of the second game of this mini series with the Mavericks. Check out our podcast for more analysis!

Clippers vs. Mavericks Preview: Evening the Series
Kenneth Armstrong

According to Matt Moore (@HPBasketball) of The Action Network, the Clippers are one of the teams interested in pursuing Dallas Mavericks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. ahead of Thursday afternoon’s NBA Trade Deadline. Moore writes that the Mavericks are “aggressively” shopping Hardaway. It is unclear if this intel predates the Clippers’ acquisition of Norman Powell, or if LAC would have interest in adding both players. On the one hand, Powell and Hardaway Jr. might be a little redundant as scoring guards to complement Paul George, but it is possible to see the 6’5″ Hardaway alongside Powell, George, and Leonard in combinations. One of those two support scorers could also slot into a 6th man role, with either Reggie Jackson or one of the Clippers’ bigger power forwards taking the final starting spot.

Hardaway has been a core piece for the Mavericks in recent years, as evidenced by the team handing him a new 4-year, $75 million contract last off-season. However, he was having a bit of a down year before being sidelined in January with a stress fracture in his foot that could cost him the remainder of the season, and it makes sense that the Mavericks could look to move him due to a combination of factors, including the need to free up money to re-sign Jalen Brunson (in the midst of a breakout season and entering free agency this summer) and the need for help down the stretch of this season that the injured Hardaway may not be able to provide.

All things considered, it’s a good time to trade THJ as he’s unlikely to help them again this season and has likely already lost his long-term starting spot to Brunson, with the Mavericks needing his salary slot for Brunson as well. That creates an opportunity for a team like the Clippers, who are not concerned with money due to Steve Ballmer’s willingness to spend and their overall team-building status (it’s much more palatable to load up on long-term 8-figure deals for role players if you already have two max contract superstars on board), to potentially get a good deal. The Clippers also likely know that their championship hopes lie in 2023, not 2022, so a deal that might weaken the team now in order to make them stronger for next season would be justified.

Hardaway is having a down year, primarily due to a regression in his three-point shooting–on similar volume as the last two seasons, he’s shooting 33.6% after being above 39% each of the last two years. It’s likely that the Mavericks would want any potential Hardaway trade to center around Marcus Morris, who potentially fits the profile of a Dallas target due to his elite shooting from the power forward position. The Mavs are looking for help in the frontcourt for pairings with Kristaps Porzingis, Moore notes, though Jake Fischer reported today that Porzingis himself could be on the move. Either way, Morris provides major floor-spacing support around Luka Doncic for a Mavericks team that would really like to get out of the first round this year.

In terms of a Morris-Hardaway swap, it’s unclear where exactly the value lies of each player. Hardaway was having a down year and is injured, which is a mark against him, but coming into the year I would have given him the slight edge of Morris. On the other hand, Morris is owed less money per year and has one fewer year on his contract than Hardaway, representing less of a financial commitment–though I’m not sure how much that extra year matters when you consider that Hardaway is 3 years younger than Morris. On the whole, I lean towards thinking that Dallas is the team that would need to sweetend this deal to persuade LAC to pull off a swap, as the Mavericks are ultimately more incentivized to acquire short-term help with Hardaway hurt and move off that contract to create flexibility for Brunson.

Financially, Morris and Hardaway are not perfect matches in a one-for-one trade, so balancing additional money from the Clippers with additional compensation from the Mavericks is a difficult tight rope to walk, especially with Serge Ibaka now traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for essentially nothing.

213Hoops is an independently owned and operated L.A. Clippers blog by Clippers fans, for Clippers fans. If you enjoy our content, please consider subscribing to our Patreon. Subscriptions start at $1 a month and support from readers like you goes a long way towards helping us keep 213Hoops sustainable, growing, and thriving.

NBA Trade Rumors: Clippers Interested in Tim Hardaway Jr.
Lucas Hann

The LA Clippers had their first overtime game in quite some time on Tuesday night — and they got there in dramatic fashion. Unfortunately, the Clippers came up short, losing 112-104. Check out our recap of the Clippers-Mavericks game below.

Summary

The Clippers led, albeit not by much, the whole first quarter. Early, Reggie was the “wild horse” Dr. Shap of our podcast called for him to be. He had nine of the Clippers’ 26 first quarter points along with two steals. Luka Dončić, who went from “questionable” to “available” for this game, led the Mavericks with six of their 21 first quarter points.

It’s worth nothing here that this game was very curiously called by the referees tonight. Mostly, the game was called extremely tight, as evidenced by the foul trouble both teams experienced. For example, the Clippers average 17.7 FTA per game, and took 29 tonight. The Mavericks average 19.4 and shot 27. (Both teams shot over 80%.)

Going into halftime, the Clippers held a six point led, but really should have been up by more. The Mavericks were 1/14 from three in the first half and the Clippers had largely contained Dončić, who only had 11 points on seven shot attempts. Turnovers — often an issue for the Clippers — were an especially big problem, as the good guy had 11 in the first half. Even worse, many of them came on transition opportunities. As Farbod Esnaashari relayed from the post-game press availability, coach Ty Lue was unhappy with the team’s transition offense: too many missed opportunities.

The third quarter turned into the Dončić versus Jackson show, and the Mavericks had the better hand. Dallas won the third quarter by 10 points behind 15 from Luka. Notably, he had three of the six Dallas threes in the frame; after being terrible from three in the first half, their shooting woke up. Reggie had 14 of his own, which was (unfortunately) enough for half of the Clippers’ third quarter points.

The Clippers made up the four point deficit pretty quickly into the final quarter. Things fell apart, however, with about five minutes left in the quarter. After Marcus Morris, Sr. made a jumper to make the score 94-92, the Mavericks extended their lead to 10 after two three-pointers and a Maxi Kleber dunk.

But after Kleber’s dunk, the Clippers went on an 11-1 run in the final 3:29. The final three points, of course, came from an amazing, 23-foot step back from Paul George with 1.1 seconds.

The Clippers’ run ended in regulation, though. The Mavericks would score 9 to the Clippers’ one point in extra time. As they did all game, the Clippers struggled to move the ball and get good looks, and gave up three offensive rebounds.

Notes

• Marcus Morris Sr. Looked Pretty Good: Although Marcus was inefficient (4/12 from the field; 2/7 from three), he finished with 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Moreover, he looked healthy and ended up playing 31 minutes despite being on a “minutes restriction.” (He did, however, have 4 turnovers.)
• Offensive Stagnation: The Clippers have talent, but the offense is not clicking. Yes, Paul George, Reggie Jackson (who had 31 tonight — his most as a Clipper), and others have had big individual scoring games, but the Clippers’ offensive rating is 23rd in the league. They also have the 10th worst assist-to-turnover ratio. Injuries play a big part of these issues, of course; nonetheless, it is fair to want more from the Clippers’ offensive scheme.

That just about does it for our recap of this Clippers-Mavericks game. Check out the site and our podcast for more news and analysis.

Clippers vs Mavericks Recap: LA Forces OT but Fall
Kenneth Armstrong

On Sunday, the LA Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks in a scrappy 97-91 win. The Mavs were without Luka Dončić, but got solid contributions from Kristaps Porziņģis and Jalen Brunson. For more on Sunday’s game, check out David’s recap here. The two teams will finish the mini series on Tuesday night at STAPLES. See the rest of our Clippers-Mavericks game preview below!

Clippers vs. Mavericks Game Information

Where: STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, California

When: 7:30 p.m. PT

How to Tune in: Bally Sports SoCal, NBA League Pass, AM 570

Projected Starting Lineups

LA Clippers: Reggie Jackson – Eric Bledsoe – Paul George – Marcus Morris – Ivica Zubac

Dallas Mavericks: Jalen Brunson – Tim Hardaway, Jr. – Dorian Finney-Smith – Kristaps Porziņģis – Dwight Powell

Injury Report

L.A. Clippers: OUT: Kawhi Leonard (right knee); Jason Preston (right foot); Keon Johnson (G League assignment); Nicholas Batum (Health and Safety Protocols). PROBABLE: Marcus Morris (Knee)

Dallas Mavericks: QUESTIONABLE: Luka Dončić (left knee and ankle); Frank Ntilikina (right calf); OUT: JaQuori McLaughlin (G League assignment); Eugene Omoruyi (G League assignment)

The Big Picture

The Clippers were able to slowly pull away from the Mavericks in the second half on Sunday, largely behind 15 second-half points from Reggie Jackson. Moreover, while the offense continued to struggle, the defense was able to force 15 Dallas turnovers and keep them at 40% and 20% from the field and three respectively.

Just two days later, the Clippers will have the same advantages they enjoyed on Sunday: The Mavs do not have someone who can stick Paul George; they are 23rd in the league in respect to three point efficiency; and, they’re not particularly deep.

Despite the Clippers’ myriad of injuries, the Clippers still have the talent advantage over the (Luka-less) Mavericks. So long as Reggie Jackson is relevantly efficient and either Mann or Kennard supply some bench scoring, the Clippers should be able to notch another win on Tuesday.

The Antagonist

Although the Clippers’ played a role in the Mavericks’ poor shooting, it’s also true that the Mavs missed some pretty good shots. In the end, the Clippers only won Sunday’s game by six points, and needed a trick shot from Reggie Jackson to ice the game. The Mavericks have enough shooters for someone to get hot and out pace the Clippers’ meager offense. And that’s before we get to the question of whether or not Luka will play.

We can also expect the Mavericks to come out with an extra ounce of urgency because this game is really, really important. The Clippers are 10-7, while the Mavs are 9-7. Although it’s too early to worry about playoff seeding, it should be noted that the loser of Tuesday’s game likely slides down to the play-in range of the standings. The winner, of course, stays above the fray. And, regardless of standings, this game is important for the season series, which could come into play if tie-breakers are needed. After this mini-series, these teams only play one more time, so the Clippers can lock up the tiebreaker now.

Clippers vs. Mavericks Game Notes:

• Zubac is a Force: Zubac only played 27 minutes on Sunday, but he played really well. He had a double-double (16 and 10) on 6/7 shooting. He was also 4/6 from the free throw line. His highlight from the game was a nice drive through the lane, starting from the free point line, finishing with a dunk. The Clippers will need to find ways to keep Zubac on the floor late in games or when teams hunt him in pick and rolls. He’s become a real force on offense, and the Clippers should use him more often.
• Reggie Jackson as the Difference Maker: Shout out to Dr. Shap and Mirjam Swanson (from the OC Register) for tracking this stat: The Clippers are currently 7-0 when Reggie scores 20 or more points. The good news is that Reggie is a very capable, three-level scorer. The worry is that his efficiency has a good deal of variance, so it’s not rare for him to have a poor shooting night. The Clippers will need to let Reggie be a “Wild Horse” (as Dr. Shap said on our most recent podcast) and be aggressive on offense. At the very least, it will take pressure off of Paul George.
• Marcus Morris Back: After missing the past 15 games with knee soreness, Marcus Morris is probable to play tonight. Morris will almost certainly return to his role as the Clippers’ starting power forward, and should provide a much-needed injection of shooting. Hopefully Morris looks fully healthy – in his first two games this year, he was woefully slow on defense and very off on offense. Still, if he’s ready to go, it will be a nice scoring boost for a Clippers’ team that has struggled offensively in recent game.

That does it for our preview of the second game of this Clippers-Mavericks mini-series. Check out the site and our podcast for more news and analysis.

Clippers vs. Mavericks Preview: Pt. 2 of the Mini Series
Kenneth Armstrong