The Clippers will try to rebound from their second-lowest scoring game of the season when their Western Conference first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks resumes Sunday in Dallas.
“We got to play faster,” coach Tyronn Lue said after Friday’s 101-90 loss that gave Dallas a two-games-to-one lead in the series. “We got to get into our sets quicker. We got to do things different and do things better.”
Lue said another key was reducing turnovers. The Clippers committed 19 turnovers, leading to 29 points for the Mavericks.
“You can’t turn the ball over 19 times, especially on the road, and expect to win the game against a really good team,” Lue said.
The only time the Clippers scored fewer points this season was in an 89-88 victory at Minnesota on March 3.
The Clippers needed a reverse layup by Mason Plumlee with six-tenths of a second left to avoid their lowest-scoring game of the season.
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 outrebounded the Mavericks, 41-36, with Leonard leading the Clippers with 9 before a capacity crowd announced at 20,402 at American Airlines Center.
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.