Current:Home > FinanceHarden and Zubac lead Leonard-less Clippers to 109-97 win over Doncic and Mavs in playoff opener -WealthMindset Learning
Harden and Zubac lead Leonard-less Clippers to 109-97 win over Doncic and Mavs in playoff opener
View
Date:2025-04-12 23:43:41
LOS ANGELES (AP) — James Harden spent the season developing a pick-and-roll chemistry with big man Ivica Zubac. The future Hall of Famer in his first season in Los Angeles is schooling the longest-tenured Clipper.
It paid off in their playoff series opener.
Harden scored 28 points, Zubac had a playoff-career high 20 points to go with 15 rebounds, and the Clippers defeated Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks 109-97 Sunday.
“Just a perfect game for a big,” Harden said.
Coach Tyronn Lue called the game’s first play for Zubac, and the Clippers were off to a dominating start.
“When I’m out there, I’m going to try to punish them in the post,” said Zubac, in his sixth season with the team. “I want to be the best version I can be for this team.”
Harden hit 6 of 11 3-pointers and had eight assists. Paul George added 22 points. The Clippers outdid the Mavs at their own 3-point game, making 18 of 36 from long range to 10 of 33 for Dallas.
“We’re going to be very good any time Zu is playing at that level,” George said.
The Clippers had five players in double figures without Kawhi Leonard. The two-time NBA Finals MVP hasn’t played since March 31 because of inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee. Russell Westbrook finished with 13 points and fellow reserve guard Norman Powell played 30 minutes.
“We obviously want Kawhi back when he’s ready,” George said. “The luxury we have is just experience with James, myself, Russ, Norm’s been in big playoff battles.”
The teams were meeting in the playoffs for the third time in five years, with the Clippers having won both previous series.
Doncic led the Mavs with 33 points and 13 rebounds. Kyrie Irving had 31 points and seven rebounds, but the Mavs got little from their supporting cast.
“Luka was finding the open guy. We just didn’t shoot well,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. “I like the way we played in the second half and we got to build on that.”
Trailing by 22, the Mavs outscored the Clippers 10-2 to close within 102-88. Dallas was helped by a technical on Zubac and a flagrant-1 foul for his subsequent actions after a second free throw attempt by Doncic. In all, it cost the Clippers four points after Doncic scored when the Mavs retained possession.
“I didn’t have a lot of technicals and flagrants in my life,” Zubac said. “I don’t know how I got both on the same play.”
Harden hit another 3-pointer, George scored four in a row and the Clippers closed out the win.
“Very important to start off on the right note,” George said. “You want to take care of business at home.”
The Mavs revived themselves in the third, when Doncic and Irving (20 points) combined for 29 of their 34 points. But they still trailed 87-64 going into the fourth. George’s 3-pointer put the Clippers ahead by 29, their largest lead.
The Clippers dominated the first half, leading 56-30 at the break. It was the fewest points they’ve allowed in either half of a playoff game and a first-half playoff low for the Mavs, who were outscored 22-8 in the second quarter when they made just two field goals.
Harden scored 20 points in the half, including nine in a row in the second quarter. He made his first four 3s.
Doncic and Irving were a combined 5 of 19 from the floor in the half. Doncic had all of his 11 in the first quarter; Irving had two of his six points in the second.
Terance Mann and Amir Coffey, who started in place of Leonard, led a Clippers defense that held Dallas to 9 of 40 field-goal shooting and 2 of 18 from 3-point range in the half.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
veryGood! (1791)
Related
- A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
- GM recalls 450,000 pickups, SUVs including Escalades: See if your vehicle is on list
- Anthony Joshua vs. Daniel Dubois live updates, undercard results, highlights
- Norway’s Plan for Seabed Mining Threatens Arctic Marine Life, Greenpeace Says
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- Miley Cyrus Makes Rare Public Appearance During Outing With Boyfriend Maxx Morando
- How Demi Moore blew up her comfort zone in new movie 'The Substance'
- California governor to sign a law to protect children from social media addiction
- Everything Simone Biles did at the Paris Olympics was amplified. She thrived in the spotlight
- Mississippi mayor says a Confederate monument is staying in storage during a lawsuit
Ranking
- Kourtney Kardashian Cradles 9-Month-Old Son Rocky in New Photo
- Two dead, three hurt after a shooting in downtown Minneapolis
- The latest: Kentucky sheriff faces murder charge over courthouse killing of judge
- ATTN: Target’s New Pet Collab Has Matching Stanley Cups and Accessories for You and Your Furry Friend
- Meet 11-year-old skateboarder Zheng Haohao, the youngest Olympian competing in Paris
- Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom's Daughter Daisy Seemingly Makes Singing Debut in Song Wonder
- Katy Perry's new album '143' is 'mindless' and 'uninspired,' per critics. What happened?
- Norway’s Plan for Seabed Mining Threatens Arctic Marine Life, Greenpeace Says
Recommendation
Tony Hawk drops in on Paris skateboarding and pushes for more styles of sport in LA 2028
AI is helping shape the 2024 presidential race. But not in the way experts feared
Mississippi mayor says a Confederate monument is staying in storage during a lawsuit
Conor McGregor, who hasn't fought since 2021, addresses his status, UFC return
Retirement planning: 3 crucial moves everyone should make before 2025
North America’s Biggest Food Companies Are Struggling to Lower Their Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Footage shows NYPD officers firing at man with knife in subway shooting that wounded 4
Actor Ross McCall Shares Update on Relationship With Pat Sajack’s Daughter Maggie Sajak