The NBA playoffs are underway, and the first round of focus is the Clippers vs. the Mavericks. Counting the old and new grudges together, I thought it was a stalemate game, but the Clippers spent half the game. In Leonard's absence, why were the Clippers able to win?
G1's Harden led the team to victory
Harden has not lost in Series G1 since the 2018-2019 season, and the last time he lost in G1 was in the 2018-2019 playoffs when the Rockets lost to the Warriors.
We can see from this data that Harden has been playing well in G1, whether it is metaphysical or non-key games. Looking at the results, looking at the process, Harden stood up in this game, and won the game with the snack team! After the whole game, Harden made 8 of 17 shots and contributed 28 points and 8 assists. In the first half, Harden changed his decline and scored 20 points. In Leonard's absence, Harden was able to step up in time, which helped the team get through the difficult opening period, establishing an advantage while also disrupting the Mavericks' rhythm.
Harden's play in this game is not only reflected on the offensive end, but also on the defensive end, which needs to be recognized. The Mavericks are still naming Harden, the problem is that Harden is focused enough, whether it is a single defense to cut the ball, or to block and dismantle, it is really a fight. The offensive and defensive ends were on the same end, and Harden showed his attitude in the first game, and the MVP played.
The Clippers came prepared, and the Mavericks' state couldn't match
If it weren't for the ugly free throws at the end, the score might have been much bigger. Not only Harden worked hard, but the entire Clippers team worked hard, coming prepared at home, and everyone was in the army!
Harden took the lead on the offensive end, adding a personal threat, which made his playmaking tandem even more threatening. When the ball comes out, the teammate can throw it, that's good momentum. Zubac incarnated as Zunir in this game, dominating the interior line, scoring 20 points and 15 rebounds alone. Before the game, Zubac was looked down upon, and Zubac slapped those people in the face with his performance. In contrast, Washington, Gafford and Lively combined only scored a total of 17 points and 11 rebounds!
Speaking of George, the state in the first half was not good, and it was basically Harden alone in C. But into the second half, George slowly found his groove in the game, contributing 17 of his 22 points. In the final quarter, facing the Mavericks' chasing points, George scored 11 points alone to stabilize the situation.
In the end, Wei Shao, although he only played for 23 minutes, this is the time to burn himself. Wei Shao played, and the Clippers' overall intensity was raised, more energetic and impactful. Wei Shao was the transmission of the whole team, and he gave his best in this game, and his defensive play was impressive. On the offensive end, Wei Shao made 2 of 4 three-pointers and efficiently scored 13 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. The only black spot is that the four mistakes are a bit too much! In addition, Mann, Coffey, and even Plumlee, who has been complained about in the past, have shown enough intensity to make it difficult to lose this game.
The Mavericks named Harden, and the Clippers named Doncic. Harden withstood it, and Doncic was beaten into a sieve, one step through. In the next G2, the Mavericks will definitely rebound, and the Clippers will need to be prepared for difficulties. Whether Leonard can come back in time is the key to the game!
Where do you think the Clippers won?