The Dallas Mavericks appear to have figured out how their stars can thrive in a winning environment. The Los Angeles Clippers still are searching for a similar formula.
The two star-laden teams meet on Saturday with the Mavericks seeking a sweep of their two-game Los Angeles road trip.
Dallas withstood a fourth-quarter charge from the Los Angeles Lakers to win 104-101 on Wednesday. Luka Doncic scored 30 and Kyrie Irving added 28 in the victory.
The Clippers had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 116-106 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday. The loss eliminated Los Angeles from the NBA’s in-season tournament.
Paul George scored 34 points to pace the Clippers against New Orleans. Norman Powell and Kawhi Leonard added 20 apiece, but Los Angeles was outscored 31-23 in the fourth quarter and shot 11-of-37 (29.7 percent) from 3-point range for the game.
“I just thought offensively we didn’t get into a good offensive rhythm,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “I thought we had a nasty flow all night. I thought their pressure bothered us. … It just kind of took us out of everything we wanted to do.”
Los Angeles will need an improved effort to keep pace with Dallas, which ranks third in the league in scoring at 121.5 points per game.
Doncic is averaging 30.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists for the Mavericks, while Irving has settled in during his first full season with the team. The eight-time All-Star is averaging 24.3 points and 5.8 assists.
“Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving make them a formidable challenge,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said after Wednesday’s game. “I don’t think it’s any style of play. Those guys are the two heads of the snake. They really are playing the way they should be playing with the roster that they put together.”
The Mavericks will be without rookie center Dereck Lively II on Saturday after he suffered a lower back contusion against the Lakers.
Lively’s absence could result in more playing time for Richaun Holmes, who was acquired from the Sacramento Kings during the offseason. Holmes impressed in the win over the Lakers with 10 rebounds in 23 minutes.
“I thought he played great for us on both ends,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “We were going with him instead of (Dwight Powell), and I thought he responded in a positive way. He really helped us win this game.”
Kidd has also been pleased by the play of guard Josh Green, who is averaging 7.3 points off the bench while shooting 36.2 percent from 3-point range.
Doncic scored 44 points in the Mavericks’ 144-126 win over the Clippers on Nov. 10. The game was the third with the Clippers for James Harden, who was acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 1.
Harden was held to eight points on 2-of-8 shooting in Friday’s loss to New Orleans and has struggled to find a rhythm in his first nine games with the Clippers.
“He’s new,” Lue said after Friday’s loss. “We haven’t really been able to implement everything. But I’ll take responsibility for us. We have to be better offensively.”
–Field Level Media