The LA Clippers stayed competitive but ultimately lost in Dallas on Sunday evening 114-110 after struggling on the boards.
It was the first time DeAndre Jordan suited up against the LA Clippers and he made sure to remind the franchise what he brought to the table.
The Clippers lost in Dallas on Sunday evening 114-110 after getting completely out-rebounded.
With no Luka Doncic, the Mavericks had to find more ways to score. The Mavericks only outscored the Clippers 15-11 on second chance baskets, but the rebounding discrepancy showed a bigger issue.
In total, the Mavs out-rebounded LA 64-44. 22 of their 64 came from DeAndre Jordan himself. No, the second chance points didn’t kill the Clips, but the second possessions limited the team’s opportunities to score.
The rebounding issue wasn’t just a one night problem, but with games against New Orleans and Memphis coming up, the Clippers may need to adjust so they don’t get dominated on the glass again by All-Star big men.
Still in it
Even with the issue on the boards, the Clips kept the game competitive. They had a chance to tie the game late, but Dennis Smith Jr. came up with a game-saving block against Tobias Harris which sealed the win for Dallas. Harris struggled the whole night, scoring only 15 points on just 5 of 18 shooting.
It’s not often Harris shoots this poorly, so expect a good bounce back game in New Orleans.
Danilo Gallinari and Lou Williams both did their thing, scoring 21 apiece.
Meanwhile, Montrezl Harrell impressed yet again leading the team in points and rebounds with 23 and 10 respectively. While this was another great performance, his struggles from the free throw line continued, finishing just 1 of 6. The Clippers desperately need him on the court, especially in late-game situations so knocking down his freebies is a necessity. He has shown himself capable before, so it may just come down to moving past the mental block.
For Dallas, Harrison Barnes led the way with 30 points while J.J. Barea came off the bench and contributed 24. Along with his 22 rebounds, DJ dropped 16 points.
The Clippers will look to bounce back tonight on the second night of a back-to-back in New Orleans against Anthony Davis and the Pelicans. This loss dropped the team down to the second seed in the West, so they will need to pick up another win to stay near the top of the ever contested conference.