The Clippers needed a basket with six-tenths of a second left to avoid their lowest-scoring game of the season in a 101-90 loss to the Dallas Mavericks Friday evening in Dallas in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round series.
The loss dropped the Clippers into a two games to one deficit in the best-of-seven series after winning Game 1. Game 4 will be played Sunday in Dallas.
Teams that lead a best-of-seven series 2-1 go on to win the series 78.8% of the time (356-96).
The Clippers led 23-18 at the end of the first quarter, but were outscored 36-18, in the second quarter to trail 54-41 at halftime.
The Clippers made 7 of 20 shots, 35%, including 4 of 9 3-point shots, 44.4%, in the second quarter and didn’t shoot a free throw. Dallas made 14 of 22 shots, 63.6%, including 4 of 7 3-point shots, 57.1%, and 4 of 6 free throws, 66.7%.
The Clippers cut the deficit to 68-62 with 1 minute, 53 seconds left in the third quarter as Norman Powell completed an 8-0 run by making three free throws, but were unable to get any closer.
The Clippers trailed 78-67 entering the fourth quarter and trailed by at least 11 and as many as 21 in the quarter.
Luka Doncic led five Mavericks in double figures with 22 points, and was also the leader with 10 rebounds and nine assists. Kyrie Irving added 21 and Dereck Lively 13 in 15:26 off the bench.
Powell and James Harden each had 21 for the Clippers while Ivica Zubac added 19 on a night no other Clipper had more than Kawhi Leonard’s 9.
The Clippers made 32 of 70 shots, 45.7%, including 10 of 29 3-point shots, 34.5%, and 16 of 20 free throws, 80%. Dallas made 39 of 86 shots, 45.3%, including 9 of 35 3-point shots, 25.7%, and 14 of 19 free throws, 73.7%.
The Clippers out-rebounded the Mavericks, 41-36, with Leonard leading the Clippers with 9.
Harden’s free throw with 35.5 seconds left in the third quarter gave him 3,702 career playoff points, moving him past Magic Johnson into 16th place on the all-time list.
Clippers guard Russell Westbrook and Dallas forward P.J. Washington were ejected for their roles in a fourth-quarter fight.