LA Clippers advance to second round of Western Conference Playoffs
The LA Clippers have advanced to the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs.
The LA Clippers have advanced to the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs after defeating the Dallas Mavericks in game six, taking the series 4-2.
In what was an up and down game, the Clippers managed to pull off a 111-97 win.
Things got chippy early, as Marcus Morris was ejected following a Flagrant 2 foul on Luka Doncic. The two had been jawing all series and Morris took it too far, swiping down on Doncic’s head. After the ejection, everything remained relatively calm.
The Clippers grew a 20 point lead in the third quarter, only to lose it when Doc Rivers rode a lineup featuring Lou Williams, Reggie Jackson, and Montrezl Harrell too long. Why? We have absolutely no idea. The lineup had not been effective at all during this series but Doc continued to trot it out.
Luckily for LA, Kawhi Leonard continued to be, well, Kawhi Leonard. Leonard ended with 33 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 steals. When the team was losing their lead, Kawhi was able to stabilize them. This was his fifth straight game with 30+ points, which marks the longest such streak of his career.
Another bright spot for the Clippers was center Ivica Zubac. Zubac has been amazing all series and really came through today, scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Leonard was pleased with Zubac during postgame, saying “It was a big series for him. He was able to contest those shots when he got to the paint. He was able to contest those threes.
The Clippers now move onto the second round where they will face the winner of the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets series. That series may conclude on Sunday night with a Utah Jazz win but could extend to game seven. A game seven in that series would be ideal as it would give the Clippers a chance to rest up and potentially get Patrick Beverley back. If Bev is back, the Clippers will finally be healthy for the first time in the playoffs.
Clippers and Lakers are still on the right side of history. dark. Next
Until then, make sure to continue to check back here as we recap the series, give updates, and look forward to the next series!