It was a big game win at just the right moment for the Los Angeles Clippers and they could afford to heave a sigh of relief. It turned out to be a decisive Game 7 and they prevailed 126-111 at Stapler Garden this Sunday. And perhaps this is the moment when the Clippers could consider themselves championship contenders instead of being the constant underachiever.
The Mavericks pushed them till the end, but the Clippers hung on and played as one team. It was a transformed team from last season. They had squandered a 3-1 lead in the series vs the Nuggets in the Western Conference semis. They have one of the best benches in the league this season. They brought in Leonard as a free agent and acquired George from Oklahoma City.
Coach Tyronn Lue was against any complacency. He said that they need to look forward, keep moving, and get things just right for the second round.
A First For The Clippers
They have never performed in the Western Conference Finals. They have become only the 5th team in the history of the NBA to come back and win after falling behind 0-2.
In the next round, they are next to face Utah Jazz, the No.1 seed overall. The first game is set in Salt Lake City on Tuesday night. In the regular season, they lost against the Utah Jazz 1-2. But they were without Leonard and George in one of those matches.
Kawhi Leonard Clinches It For The Clippers
Leonard was brilliant as usual. With 28 points, 9 assists, 10 rebounds, and 4 steals, he was everywhere in the game. Paul George managed 22 points even with a poor shooting night.
Marcus Morris was also there strongly with 23, 7 of them 3-pointers. He tore apart the Maverick’s defense with his brilliant beyond the arc shooting.
The Clippers also knocked down 20 of 43 attempts thus setting a new NBA record in a 7th Game.
Luca Doncic’s valiant but vain effort of 46 points and his contribution to 77 of the 111 points scored by the Mavericks is also a Game 7 NBA record.
