Luka Doncic fuels Mavs past Clippers for 2-1 series lead

Luka Doncic had 22 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists to help the Dallas Mavericks beat the visiting Los Angeles Clippers 101-90 in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round playoff series on Friday.

The Mavericks lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 is set for Sunday in Dallas.

Kyrie Irving scored 19 of his 21 points in the final 14 minutes for the Mavericks.

“It’s the will and the heart of a champion,” said Irving, who added six assists in the win. “You’ve gotta get out of your own way. I think me maturing over the years has really taught me to let the game come to me.”

Norman Powell and James Harden each had 21 points for the Clippers, who committed 19 turnovers. Ivica Zubac added 19 points and eight rebounds.

Kawhi Leonard was held to nine points on seven shots from the floor in 25 minutes, though he grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

“We’re going to get it right,” Leonard said. “Time will tell, but we’re doing all the right things.”

Leonard was playing his second game after a three-week absence caused by right knee inflammation.

“Tonight it was either play limited minutes or not play,” he said, “and I wanted to be on the floor to help the team. And that’s what the results are. Frustrating that it happened to me this late in the season. But, yeah, we’re going to keep going. We’re going to get it right.”

Leonard said he was uncertain about his status for Sunday, adding, “But I want to play.”

Los Angeles’ Paul George finished with seven points on 3-for-11 shooting from the floor in the loss.

“I got to be better,” George said. “It really was frustrating.”

Doncic limped to the locker room, favoring his right knee, late in the first quarter with the Mavericks trailing 19-14.

But Doncic returned in the second quarter and helped Dallas capture the lead. He hit a pair of 3-pointers during a 12-0 run that gave the Mavericks a 37-32 lead.

Dallas never trailed again, leading by 13 points at halftime and pushing the advantage to as many as 21 points.

Dereck Lively II had 13 points for the Mavericks. Derrick Jones Jr. chipped in 11 points and P.J. Washington added 10 points.

Washington had three steals and Doncic, Irving and Daniel Gafford had two apiece for the Mavericks, who scored 29 points on the Clippers’ turnovers.

Harden had five of the Clippers’ miscues and Leonard finished with four. Dallas committed just nine turnovers.

–Field Level Media

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