Kawhi Leonard and Paul George came to Los Angeles as a package deal. Friday night, that package didn't deliver for the Clippers.
Kawhi Leonard finishes with 9 points. First time since June 8, 2014 that Leonard hasn't scored 10+ points in a postseason game.
— Justin Russo (@FlyByKnite) April 27, 2024
Paul George finishes with 7 points. First time since Aug. 23, 2020 that George hasn't scored 10+ points in a postseason game.
Leonard and George combined for 16 points on 7-of-18 shooting, but what stood out was their lack of aggression. The two only took 18 shots, but more than that, they combined to shoot just one free throw. Most of George's shots came on the perimeter. Leonard threw down some big dunks, but that's really all he had offensively in Los Angeles' 101-90 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
PG LOBS IT UP TO KAWHI
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2024
Clippers-Mavs | Game 3 on ESPN pic.twitter.com/JYEnumrJGw
Perhaps hanging on the rim sapped Leonard's offensive energy for the rest of the game.
Instead, it was two members of a different failed superteam that did the most damage Friday night. James Harden, from the 2020-21 Brooklyn Nets, led the Clippers with 21 points. His old Nets teammate, Kyrie Irving, had 19 of his 21 points in the second half, including 11 in the fourth quarter as the Mavericks held the Clippers at bay.
Kyrie changes pace and hits the TOUGH midrange J!
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2024
11 PTS in the 4Q... 21 for the game
Mavs seeking a 2-1 series lead on ESPN. pic.twitter.com/X3xbNVG3LW
The game got chippy late, possibly due to the Clippers' frustration on the offensive end. Terance Mann got into it with P.J. Washington, drawing double technicals.
Terance Mann gets into it with P.J. Washington and the AAC erupts. A double technical foul was called. pic.twitter.com/P0wTKZfVjZ
— Grant Afseth (@GrantAfseth) April 27, 2024
Meanwhile, after committing a flagrant foul in the first quarter, Russell Westbrook fouled Luka Doncic with gusto late to draw a technical, then shoved Washington to draw his first career postseason ejection. He looked ready to fight every member of the Mavericks, but his team really would have preferred he just score more than one point.
Russell Westbrook and PJ Washington have been ejected from the game with 6:10 remaining. #MFFL | @dallasmavs on @BallySports pic.twitter.com/Fo9Yr6fXzb
— Bally Sports Southwest (@BallySportsSW) April 27, 2024
Westbrook made history, but not the kind he wanted to.
Per SportRadar, Russell Westbrook had the first 1-flagrant, 2-technical, 1-point-or-less game in the NBA since Kendrick Perkins in 2005.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) April 27, 2024
But at least Westbrook was fired up. His superstar teammates fell behind 2-1 to the Mavericks, and Friday night, they didn't seem all that upset about it.
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