Dallas Mavericks humiliate the Clippers
After being eliminated in just the second round of the playoffs last season, the Los Angeles Clippers came into the 2020-21 National Basketball Association campaign eager to prove they are an elite team in the league. They won their first two games of the season, beating the defending NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers in their season-opener, while taking out the team that knocked them out of the playoffs the Denver Nuggets in their second game.
However, the Clippers’ season took an unexpected turn on Sunday night when they were embarrassed by Western Conference rivals, the Dallas Mavericks at the Staples Center. Dallas took the lead early on and never relinquished it, beating Los Angeles on their home court 77-27 at halftime. The 50-point lead at halftime is the largest ever in an NBA game, surpassing the previous mark of 47 points set by the Golden State Warriors against the Sacramento Kings in 1991.
Unlike Los Angeles, who started off the season with back-to-back victories, Dallas had lost their first two games of the campaign and were looking to send a signal of intent to the rest of the league on Sunday afternoon.
“We showed who we are,” said Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic, via ESPN. “People judged us off the first two games of the season. It’s a long season, but we’ve got to keep going like that. We’ve got to play defense. That’s our specialty from now on.”
The Clippers were missing Kawhi Leonard on Sunday who is suffering from a mouth laceration, after he took an elbow from teammate Serge Ibaka in their game against the Denver Nuggets on Friday. Paul George was in the lineup though and shouldered much of the blame for the largest loss in Clippers’ franchise history.
“I take full responsibility,” said George in the postgame press conference, via ESPN. “You know, it’s a tough game coming [after] Christmas. I enjoyed my Christmas Day [celebration] yesterday. Today just popped up on me a little too fast. I’ll take full ownership for that, coming out and being prepared to play today. Be a different situation come next game, and we will be ready.”
George finished the contest with 15 points, but was abysmal from three-point range, missing all six of his attempts. He is hoping his team can come back more focused and ready to play on Tuesday night when they host the Minnesota Clippers.
“I hope everyone enjoyed the Christmas Day yesterday and that was the reason for a sluggish day today,” George said.
His coach echoed many of the same sentiments.
“Just an exception,” said head coach Ty Lue of the loss. “It doesn’t take away from what we’ve been doing and what we’ve been working on and how we’re trying to get better each night.
“[There] wasn’t a lot of fight, a lot of pop tonight, and we know we’ll have that come next game.”
The Mavericks will be looking to use the win as a confidence booster moving forward. They get set to take on the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday evening as they chase their second consecutive win of the season.
