DHJ Quick Take: Grit in the Face of a Disastrous Start<\/p>\n
The 24-2 Hole: Dallas opened the game shooting just 2-of-13 while the Los Angeles Clippers hit nearly everything, building a 23-point lead in the first six minutes. Operating without Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford, the Mavericks\u2018 patchwork rotation was immediately exploited by Kawhi Leonard and Darius Garland.<\/p>\n
Flagg vs. The Wall: In his first visit to the Intuit Dome, Cooper Flagg was greeted with \u201cOverrated\u201d chants from the Clippers\u2018 student-section-style \u201cWall.\u201d Flagg responded by hitting both free throws, a deep three, and a poster dunk over Brook Lopez on consecutive possessions, finishing with 25 points and noting the atmosphere \u201cbrought me back to my high school days.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bagley\u2019s Instant Impact: Returning from a shoulder injury, Marvin Bagley III provided the most efficient punch for Jason Kidd, scoring 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting. His play catalyzed a third-quarter comeback that briefly saw Dallas take the lead before Leonard (34 points) secured the win for Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
INGLEWOOD, Calif. \u2014 Cooper Flagg<\/a> dunked over Brook Lopez<\/a> to bring the crowd to a momentary hush. He nailed a 3-pointer with Derrick Jones Jr.<\/a> draped across him. He silenced The Wall at the free throw line. He did everything a 19-year-old superstar is supposed to do in an opposing building.<\/p>\n It still wasn\u2019t enough.<\/p>\n Kawhi Leonard<\/a> scored 34 points on 11-of-19 shooting with six made 3-pointers, and the Los Angeles Clippers held on for a 116-103 victory over the Dallas Mavericks<\/a> on Tuesday night at Intuit Dome, handing Dallas its 54th loss of the season. The Clippers improved to 41-38 and have now won seven of their last nine games as they jockey for playoff positioning in the Western Conference.<\/p>\n Flagg led Dallas with 25 points and 9 rebounds on 9-of-25 shooting. Marvin Bagley III<\/a> provided the most consistent punch off the bench with 21 points and 9 rebounds. Max Christie<\/a> hit all 10 of her free throw attempts and finished with 12 points. Ryan Nembhard<\/a> added 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists off the bench. Klay Thompson<\/a> contributed 11 points.<\/p>\n Darius Garland<\/a> finished with 22 points for Los Angeles. Jones recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds against his former team. Brook Lopez had 9 points and 11 rebounds.<\/p>\n It was Leonard\u2019s 55th consecutive game with at least 20 points.<\/p>\n A Disastrous Start<\/p>\n The Mavericks did not score for the first three minutes of the game. By the time head coach Jason Kidd<\/a> called a timeout, Los Angeles had put 17 consecutive points on the board. Garland and Leonard drained back-to-back 3-pointers in the opening minutes, and the Clippers extended the lead to 23 on a Lopez 3-pointer to make it 27-4 with 6:18 still remaining in the first quarter. At that point, Dallas was 2-of-13 from the field while Los Angeles was shooting 10-of-13, including 4-of-6 from 3-point range.<\/p>\n The start was particularly costly given the roster Dallas was working with. The Mavericks entered the night without Kyrie Irving<\/a> (left knee surgery), Dereck Lively II<\/a> (right foot surgery), Daniel Gafford<\/a> (right shoulder impingement), P.J. Washington<\/a> (left elbow soreness), Brandon Williams<\/a> (illness), and Caleb Martin<\/a> (right plantar fascia strain) \u2014 a group whose absence placed enormous responsibility on a patchwork rotation from the opening tip. Kidd had said before the game that the next-man-up mentality would be essential, and the Clippers exploited the depth limitations immediately.<\/p>\n Flagg, who scored the Mavericks\u2019 first basket on a floater to settle the offense after the initial run, was candid when asked what went wrong in those opening minutes.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, just a really slow start,\u201d Flagg said. \u201cWe came out flat. They hit a lot of shots early and we didn\u2019t make anything. So just a flat start.\u201d<\/p>\n Leonard had 12 points in the first quarter alone. Garland added eight and Lopez seven, as the Clippers shot 13-of-19 from the field to lead 39-26 after one. Before the game, Kidd had identified Leonard specifically as someone capable of scoring in bunches regardless of the defensive game plan deployed against him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you talk about stars, Kawhi is one of them,\u201d Kidd said before tip-off. \u201cHis midrange game, getting to the free-throw line, shooting the three \u2014 he understands time and score. He\u2019s seen everything. It\u2019s hard to keep him from catching the ball, but you try to make him do something different.\u201d<\/p>\n Before the game, John Poulakidas<\/a> had spoken specifically about the importance of keeping Garland out of his comfort zone \u2014 a plan that was naturally challenging once the ball went up.<\/p>\n \u201cJust making sure we\u2019re paying attention to the scouting report, knowing guys\u2019 tendencies, knowing that Garland wants to get to that left-hand step-back,\u201d Poulakidas told Dallas Hoops Journal<\/a>. \u201cHe hit a lot of threes on us the last game, so try to make him play inside the line. And obviously Kawhi has had an incredible season this year, so just trying to limit him, keep him off his right hand as much as we can, and just knowing everyone else\u2019s tendencies.\u201d<\/p>\n Leonard did exactly what Kidd had anticipated, and Dallas had no answer for it in the early going.<\/p>\n Kidd was asked afterward about the scope of the hole Dallas dug for itself and whether a deficit of that size was still manageable entering the second quarter.<\/p>\n \u201cI think early we were putting pressure on ourselves to make shots because no one could make one,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cIt was 24-2 at one point. But to only be down 13 after the first \u2014 it\u2019s still anyone\u2019s game. I thought the group fought in the second quarter, and you could see that fight carry into the third.\u201d<\/p>\n The Rally<\/p>\n What followed the disastrous opening was one of the more encouraging stretches of basketball Dallas has played in weeks. Shortly after Kidd\u2019s timeout, Flagg hammered home a thunder dunk over Lopez with 4:54 left in the first quarter that briefly ignited the visiting contingent in the building. Less than two minutes later, Flagg converted an alley-oop off a Nembhard pass for another emphatic slam that forced the Clippers into a timeout and drew Dallas within 34-17.<\/p>\n The Mavericks needed everyone available to contribute in the second quarter, and several unexpected contributors stepped up. Dwight Powell<\/a>, starting at center in place of the injured Gafford, quietly put together a steady night \u2014 finishing with 4 points, 8 rebounds, and four fouls in 19 minutes, providing a physical presence in the paint that kept Dallas competitive on the boards. Tyler Smith<\/a>, the two-way forward who signed with Dallas on March 1, logged 17 minutes and scored 6 points on 2-of-4 shooting, including two 3-point attempts, in a spot role that reflected just how thin the rotation had become. Poulakidas, also on a two-way contract, played 18 minutes and pulled down 6 rebounds while chipping in 3 points.<\/p>\n Bagley was the catalyst through the second quarter. His 3-pointer with 4:13 left before halftime tied the game at 47, capping a 21-8 run. Before the game, Bagley had outlined exactly what Dallas needed to do to stay competitive.<\/p>\n \u201cJust doing what we do \u2014 making it tough on Kawhi and Garland, making it as tough as possible for those guys,\u201d Bagley told Dallas Hoops Journal before tip-off. \u201cTry to take them out of the game and force the other guys to make plays.\u201d<\/p>\n The Clippers closed the half with an 18-8 spurt \u2014 Leonard scoring the final seven points on a 3-pointer, a put-back, and two free throws \u2014 to lead 65-55 at the break.<\/p>\n Asked what it said about his team that they were able to fight back from 23 down and eventually take the lead, Bagley pointed to a collective refusal to let the early deficit define the game.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just stayed with it,\u201d Bagley said. \u201cSlow start for us, but I think we did a good job of slowing down, getting back to what we do, and playing the right way \u2014 getting stops and getting out and running. That\u2019s what brought the game back in. We put ourselves in a good position, in my opinion, to win the game. They hit some big shots down the stretch and got some buckets that extended the lead. But I think we fought back and gave ourselves a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n Dallas actually took the lead in the third quarter. Thompson hit a 3-pointer with 3:50 remaining to make it 78-77, the Mavericks\u2019 first lead of the game. Nembhard pushed it to 80-77 with a basket before Leonard took over, scoring seven of Los Angeles\u2019s final 11 points of the quarter \u2014 including back-to-back triples \u2014 to send the Clippers into the fourth leading 89-84.<\/p>\n Flagg was asked what the comeback demonstrated about a Mavericks team that has played much of this season shorthanded and in the lottery.<\/p>\n \u201cJust competing \u2014 guys coming in, bringing good energy and changing the tone,\u201d Flagg said. \u201cIt was good for us to fight back and put ourselves in a position to take the lead in the third quarter.\u201d<\/p>\n The Fourth Quarter and Cooper Flagg\u2019s Night<\/p>\n An early Flagg dunk pulled Dallas within 91-86 to open the fourth quarter, but Los Angeles steadily extended the lead from there. When Garland scored with 5:15 remaining to push the Clippers ahead 104-93, Kidd pulled Flagg for the night with a back-to-back in Phoenix on Wednesday looming.<\/p>\n Flagg shot 9-of-25 from the field and was held to a single basket in the second quarter as Leonard and Jones Jr. alternated as his primary defenders. Despite the off shooting night, Flagg attempted 25 shots \u2014 a reflection of his continued aggression even against one of the better defensive rosters in the league. Before the game, Kidd had emphasized that getting Flagg into a rhythm early through screen-setting and deliberate shot selection would be critical against a Clippers defense with the length and versatility to make things uncomfortable.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about setting good screens, making sure Cooper isn\u2019t rushing or taking bad shots, and getting him touches early so he can get into a rhythm,\u201d Kidd said before tip-off.<\/p>\n The 23-point first-quarter deficit made it almost impossible to establish that early rhythm. When asked what made the Clippers so difficult to attack consistently once the game settled, Flagg pointed to their length and versatility.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ve got a lot of length and size,\u201d Flagg said. \u201cThey\u2019re very versatile and can switch. They\u2019ve got a lot of guys willing to sit down and guard.\u201d<\/p>\n Kidd was asked to assess Flagg\u2019s shot selection on a night when the ball simply wasn\u2019t falling, and whether the process was sound despite the numbers.<\/p>\n \u201cI think he got some of the same looks \u2014 they just didn\u2019t go down for him,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cSome of the floaters he had opportunities to make were right there \u2014 just hit the rim and fell off. That\u2019s part of the game. But he kept attacking. Looking at it, we didn\u2019t shoot the ball very well, but the score was still close. We were down six and had an opportunity there.\u201d<\/p>\n Flagg was asked what he thought about the offensive process on a night when several good looks didn\u2019t fall.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought it was solid. Like Coach said, we missed a lot of easy looks that usually fall. But those are the shots we want to get, so for the most part, I think it was pretty solid.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the game\u2019s more memorable individual moments came midway through the first quarter when Flagg approached the free throw line to the sound of the home crowd\u2019s \u201cOverrated!\u201d chants from The Wall \u2014 a section of Clippers fans known for trying to rattle opposing free throw shooters. He converted both attempts, then hit a 3-pointer over Jones and posterized Lopez on the very next two possessions. Asked afterward whether the crowd\u2019s taunting had motivated him, Flagg kept the moment in perspective.<\/p>\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t say it motivated me,\u201d Flagg said. \u201cThat\u2019s something I\u2019ve heard since high school, so it kind of brought me back a little bit. The whole wall thing is kind of funny \u2014 you don\u2019t see that in the league very often. It definitely took me back to my high school days.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked more broadly whether he feeds off negative crowd energy in general, Flagg didn\u2019t hesitate.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, it\u2019s always fun,\u201d Flagg said. \u201cYou get energy from the crowd, good or bad. Obviously, the home crowd gets me going, but even from opposing fans, it\u2019s the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Marvin Bagley III\u2019s Performance and Jason Kidd\u2019s Takeaways<\/p>\n Bagley, returning from a three-game absence with a left shoulder impingement, was one of the few consistent offensive options for Dallas from start to finish. His 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting included the pivotal 3-pointer that tied the game at 47 in the second quarter. When asked what allowed him to be so effective offensively on a night when several of his teammates struggled to find their footing, Bagley credited patience and process.<\/p>\n \u201cJust playing the game and letting it come to me \u2014 not forcing,\u201d Bagley said. \u201cPlaying within the flow, what we were trying to do, understanding what they were trying to do, and just getting to my spots and being effective.\u201d<\/p>\n Kidd made clear that having Bagley back and productive was a meaningful development for a roster operating with significant absences on the night.<\/p>\n \u201cComing back from injury, I thought he was really good tonight,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cHis energy \u2014 he was one of the few that was scoring for us early. Him and Cooper were really the only ones producing there for us. He was a positive tonight, and it was good to have him back on the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n Bagley was asked what the last three games have looked like from his vantage point as Flagg has put together the most dominant individual stretch of his rookie season, and his admiration for what he has witnessed was unambiguous.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s great,\u201d Bagley said. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen somebody go back-to-back games and do what he\u2019s supposed to do, and even tonight, just leaving his stamp on the game. It\u2019s unbelievable. I don\u2019t see the debate \u2014 he\u2019s definitely shown that. I\u2019m just happy he\u2019s able to put these games together and finish the season strong.\u201d<\/p>\n Bagley was then asked about the ripple effect Flagg\u2019s aggressiveness creates for the rest of the offense \u2014 specifically how defenses rotating toward Flagg opens up opportunities for the other Mavericks around him.<\/p>\n \u201cHe puts pressure on the defense and opens things up for the rest of the team,\u201d Bagley said. \u201cWhen he\u2019s aggressive, you\u2019ve got guys helping, and now you\u2019ve got corner threes, cutters, different plays opening up. He\u2019s unselfish, sees all those things, and makes his teammates better. It\u2019s been a pleasure to play alongside him since I\u2019ve been here, and he\u2019s only going to keep getting better.\u201d<\/p>\n Kidd was asked to compare the offensive process from Tuesday\u2019s game against the efficiency Dallas showed in Sunday\u2019s 134-128 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, a game where the Mavericks shot considerably better from outside.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we\u2019re taking care of the ball at a high level and getting a lot of good looks,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cIn the Lakers game, we were making them. Again, different group out there \u2014 it seems like every night. We didn\u2019t have PJ, Gaff, or B-Will tonight, so it\u2019s next-man-up. We created a lot of good looks offensively from three and in the paint. We just missed some bunnies tonight that we made in the last game. But again, they\u2019re taking care of the ball. The process is there \u2014 if we take care of it, we can get a good look.\u201d<\/p>\n Nembhard\u2019s performance off the bench also drew specific praise from Kidd, who pointed to the undrafted rookie\u2019s ability to both create for others and look for his own scoring opportunities in a game where Dallas needed production from unexpected places.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought he was really good,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cRyan was someone who attacked, looked for others, set the table well for us tonight \u2014 getting guys shots and also looking for his chance to score.\u201d<\/p>\n Darius Garland Contained, but Kawhi Leonard Too Much<\/p>\n One of the more encouraging defensive storylines for Dallas was the job done on Garland, who had torched the Mavericks for 41 points and eight 3-pointers in the March 21 overtime game at American Airlines Center. Before Tuesday\u2019s game, Kidd had made containing Garland behind the arc the primary defensive priority.<\/p>\n \u201cThe last time we saw him, he made a lot of threes,\u201d Kidd said before tip-off. \u201cSo we\u2019ve got to take him off the three-point line. He can shoot it, but he can also get to the rim and create.\u201d<\/p>\n Poulakidas had echoed that point specifically before the game, focusing on Garland\u2019s left-hand step-back as the primary action Dallas needed to take away.<\/p>\n \u201cKnowing that Garland wants to get to that left-hand step-back \u2014 he hit a lot of threes on us the last game, so try to make him play inside the line,\u201d Poulakidas told Dallas Hoops Journal<\/a> before tip-off.<\/p>\n The game plan worked to a degree. Garland shot just 2-of-6 from 3-point range on Tuesday after his eight-3-pointer performance three weeks prior. But Leonard more than compensated, and Kidd acknowledged after the game that the Clippers star delivered exactly what had been anticipated, regardless of the preparation.<\/p>\n \u201cUnderstanding Garland was someone who hurt us last time, we wanted to be cautious of him,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cI thought the guys did a really good job there. But Kawhi is Kawhi. Like we said pregame, he can score in bunches, and he did that tonight. He was very effective from the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n Defensive Adjustments and Injuries<\/p>\n After surrendering 39 points in the first quarter, Dallas held the Clippers to 26, 24, and 27 in the final three quarters, respectively. Flagg was asked what changed defensively after the disastrous opening period, and he credited it to a shift in collective energy and communication rather than to any specific adjustment.<\/p>\n \u201cJust helping each other out and playing with better energy,\u201d Flagg said. \u201cThat first quarter wasn\u2019t good, but after that, the energy picked up, and that\u2019s how we were able to claw back and take the lead in the third.\u201d<\/p>\n Bagley was asked the same question and pointed to a simple yet fundamental shift in the group\u2019s defensive disposition after falling so far behind.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just got stops,\u201d Bagley told Dallas Hoops Journal<\/a>. \u201cWe locked in. The slow start put us in a bad position, but we didn\u2019t let that stop us from getting back into the game. We locked in defensively and were able to get stops \u2014 that was the biggest thing.\u201d<\/p>\n Kidd was asked specifically about Lopez\u2019s impact on the game, noting that the Clippers center altered several Mavericks attempts at the rim before Dallas made adjustments at halftime.<\/p>\n \u201cBrook \u2014 I thought he made some great plays at the rim,\u201d Kidd said. \u201cIf he didn\u2019t block shots, he changed them. That was something we talked about at halftime \u2014 being more aware of him.\u201d<\/p>\n