In the first round of the NBA playoffs in the Western Conference G2, the Clippers lost 93-96 at home to the Mavericks, and the overall score came to 1-1. The game was full of drama, especially the performance of Leonard of the Clippers after his return, which attracted a lot of attention.
After the game, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said of the returning Leonard: "I think he's done a good job on the defensive end, and I'm glad that the little card is back on the court. We'll take care of that. "Indeed, from the course of the game, Leonard was really good on the defensive end, and his return is a huge improvement for the Clippers on the defensive end. On the offensive end, however, he doesn't seem to be fully back to his best.
In this game, Leonard played 34 minutes and 55 seconds, shooting 7 of 17 (0 of 5 three-pointers), 1 of 2 free throws, and scored 15 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals and 1 block, with a plus/minus of -8. This kind of performance obviously can't help the Clippers achieve more advantages on the offensive end.
Tyronn Lue also spoke about the reason for the loss: "We defended greatly, limited the opponent to 96 points, couldn't ask for more. It's that the offense needs to be better. Indeed, scoring only 93 points in a single game and shooting 8-of-30 from three-point range was undoubtedly a key reason why the Clippers lost the game. In a high-intensity game like the playoffs, a mistake in either ring can lead to a loss in the game. And the Clippers in this game, it is clear that there is a problem on the offensive end.
After the game, Doncic of the Mavericks was interviewed, and his speech was full of domineering and confidence. On his defense, he said: "It's the playoffs, it's different. My teammates said come and help me with the bag, but I said no. I'm proud of my defense, there's always someone who wants to hack my defense, the sunspots. I didn't care, I was just enjoying the game and it was a lot of fun. This confidence in his defensive ability is undoubtedly a big reason why he was able to play well in the game.
At the same time, he was full of praise for teammate Irving's performance: "He's doing fantastic! It's hard for the Clippers to defend both of us at the same time." They tried the bag jacket, and Owen got the empty spot. So, to defend the two of us is tough for the Clippers. This kind of trust and affirmation of teammates is also an important factor in the Mavericks' ability to gain an advantage in the game.
In this game, Doncic played 45 minutes, 11 of 26, 5 of 14 three-pointers, 5 of 6 free throws, and scored 32 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. His performance was undoubtedly the best of the game, and his threat on the offensive end and his consistency on the defensive end both earned the Mavericks valuable wins. And Irving's performance was also excellent, he scored 23 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals on 8-of-18 shooting and 4-of-8 three-pointers, and his scoring ability and contribution on the defensive end also brought a lot of help to the Mavericks.
Although the Clippers lost this game, their performance still deserves recognition. Especially after Leonard's return, there has been a noticeable improvement on the defensive end. However, the offensive side still needs to be solved. The Mavericks, on the other hand, managed to win the game through the excellent performances of Doncic and Irving. The playoffs continue, and both teams will face new challenges and opportunities. We expect them to perform at a better level in the next games and bring us more exciting games and exciting moments."