Leonard has 15 points in 35 minutes in his first game since March 31, but the Clippers shoot a season-worst 36.8% from the field and Luka Doncic (32 points) leads the Mavs to a 96-93 win. Game 3 is…
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, right, steals the ball from Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic, left, during the second half of Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. LOS ANGELES — Kawhi Leonard played 35 minutes in his first game in three weeks and it turned out, the Clippers needed every rusty second. And it still wasn’t enough.
Leonard’s progress from inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee was, at times, a cat-and-mouse ordeal. Was he healthy? Would he play? Can he run? Questions that were met with evasive answers. Leonard shot 7 for 17 from the field , but he wasn’t the only Clippers player off their mark. George and James Harden each had 22 points, but the team shot a season-worst 36.8% from the field and 26.7% from 3-point range .
The game was sloppy with a combined 42 fouls and 23 turnovers between the teams and neither team shot well. Still, the Mavericks maintained an advantage for most of the night as the Clippers fought to regain their poise from Game 1. Washington connected on another 3-pointer with 4:40 left to match the Mavericks’ biggest lead, one the Clippers couldn’t overcome – Leonard or no Leonard.
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