Opportunity knocked Monday night in Los Angeles, and the Clippers promptly answered.
It was a must-win game for the Clippers, on a night that saw the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings all fall. And, indeed, the team seized the moment against the Dallas Mavericks and took hold of the seventh seed in a 121-112 win.
The Bench Did Its Thing… Again
The Montrezl Harrell–Lou Williams duo was on full display tonight, as both men continued to show why they are some of the best bench weapons in the NBA. Both were dominant as the bench, once again, carried the day for the Clippers.
Harrell looked unstoppable as he posted a career-high 32 points to go along with five rebounds, five assists and two blocks on 14-17 shooting. Williams added 21 points, three rebounds, 10 assists and three steals.
Combined, the bench finished with a plus-minus of plus-75.
Patrick Beverley was most impressive among the starters. The hard-nosed guard ended the night just shy of a triple-double with 17 points, eight rebounds and nine assists and played his typical spectacular defense, while Danilo Gallinari added 20 points of his own.
Energy, Intensity and Effort
Harrell and Williams provided a spark for the Clippers after a sluggish start to the game, and their energy carried through the rest of the half. Combined with some hounding defense on Dončić, Los Angeles went into the break with a 63-57 lead. They couldn’t contain Dončić forever, though, as he came out swinging in the third quarter as the Mavericks took the lead.
But, once again, behind Harrell and Williams, the Clippers sparked. After some back-and-forth, the Clippers upped the intensity and took back the lead early in the final frame and held it.
While Dončić managed to get away from them in the second half, the defensive effort was a major factor throughout the game. Los Angeles forced 17 Dallas turnovers and combined for 11 steals and four blocked shots.
New Additions Shine
JaMychal Green played the best game of his short Clippers career, as he went 4-9 from the field and finished the game with 11 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Meanwhile, Ivica Zubac has continued to look like a steal as well; he finished with 7 points, eight rebounds, three assists and a steal while and was a strong presence on the interior.
Neither Green nor Zubac played more than 20 minutes. Expect both to see the floor more if they can continue to produce.
Landry Shamet, meanwhile, has had an up-and-down six games as a Clipper. Impressive in his first two games, Shamet has shot just 39.6 percent from the field in the subsequent four. He also played just 22 minutes after he averaged more than 28 in his first five.
Shamet played a solid game – and expect him to improve as he further adjusts to his Los Angeles teammates and his expanded role with the team – but the Clippers need him to do better.
Looking Ahead
Now in sole possession of the seventh seed, the Clippers face one of the biggest stretches of their season. Tomorrow, the team will travel to Utah with a chance to jump the Jazz in the standings before they face off against, and look to further distance themselves from, the Kings and Lakers on Friday and next Monday, respectively.
After that, Los Angeles will have to run a gauntlet of playoff teams, including the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trail Blazers, Brooklyn Nets and Indiana Pacers, in a six-game homestand.
If they can come out positive on the other side of that stretch, the Clippers could further secure their bid for a spot in the postseason.
Dirk Love
In the closing seconds, Doc Rivers called for a timeout as Los Angeles and their fans gave future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki a standing ovation. Players hugged and acknowledged Nowitzki, 41, in what may prove his final game at the Staples Center should he choose to retire at the end of the season.
