Kawhi Leonard Overpowers Doncic As Clippers Edge Stubborn Mavericks
22nd January 2020
A pair of Doncic free throws gave the Mavericks their first lead of the second half with 5min 43sec remaining, but Leonard took control down the stretch to close out the win for the Clippers
- Kawhi Leonard won his duel with Luka Doncic as the Los Angeles Clippers downed the Dallas Mavericks 110-107 on the road in their Western Conference clash on Tuesday
- Clippers star Leonard and Mavs talisman Doncic each finished with 36 points after a see-saw battle at the American Airlines Travel Center
- The Clippers improved to 31-13 with the win to move into second place behind the Los Angeles Lakers in the standings. The Mavericks remain in fifth with 27 wins and 16 defeats
LOS ANGELES, United States- Kawhi Leonard won his duel with Luka
Doncic as the Los Angeles Clippers downed the Dallas Mavericks 110-107 on the
road in their Western Conference clash on Tuesday.
Clippers star Leonard and Mavs
talisman Doncic each finished with 36 points after a see-saw battle at the
American Airlines Travel Center.
Leonard added 11 rebounds and two
assists while Doncic narrowly missed a triple-double with 10 rebounds and nine
assists.
The Clippers improved to 31-13
with the win to move into second place behind the Los Angeles Lakers in the
standings. The Mavericks remain in fifth with 27 wins and 16 defeats.
The Clippers appeared to have
control of the contest after opening up an 11-point lead at halftime, 60-49.
But the Mavericks rallied strongly
in the fourth quarter, clawing their way back from 90-82 down with nine minutes
remaining to level.
A pair of Doncic free throws gave
the Mavericks their first lead of the second half with 5min 43sec remaining,
but Leonard took control down the stretch to close out the win for the
Clippers.
Leonard produced a sublime assist
to set up Landry Shamet for a three-pointer to make it 105-98 and then added a
three-pointer of his own shortly afterwards to help the Clippers into a 108-100
lead.
The only sour note for the
Clippers was an apparent groin injury to Patrick Beverley which forced him off
the court at half-time.
In Beverley's absence, Lou
Williams came off the bench to deliver a crucial 16 points while Shamet
finished with 18 points. Montrezl Harrell also added a double-digit
contribution with 12 points.
"We're starting to feel good,
we're starting to understand the best ways to play with each other," said
Williams after what was a fourth straight victory for the Clippers.
"We're happy with the
progress we're making and we're starting to turn a corner. We're starting to
feel comfortable with what everybody does on the floor and what everybody
brings to the table at different points in the game. We're getting there."