Dallas Mavericks 111-126 LA Clippers: Twitter erupts as Kawhi Leonard overpowers spirited Luka Doncic in Game 7 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs round 1
The NBA community was treated to one of the highest-scoring Game 7 in NBA history, as the LA Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks fought for a spot in the Western Conference Semifinals.
The LA Clippers secured their first home win to advance to the next round and break the away victory pattern in this series. Total second-half dominance on offense and stellar defensive play guaranteed victory for the home team.
It was a disappointing showing for the Dallas Mavericks, who could not answer back as the LA Clippers ran away with the lead. Although Luka Doncic scored 46 points in the tie, he was very passive in the second half and did not do much to bail his team out of the rut.
Kawhi Leonard was one assist shy of recording his first triple-double in the 2021 NBA playoffs. Regardless, it was a scoring frenzy for the LA Clippers as seven of their players recorded double figures.
The LA Clippers led the Dallas Mavericks at the half
Luka Doncic, as usual, got off to a sensational start and recorded 29 points in the first half of the game. Low production from the Dallas Mavericks bench and a superior offense from the LA Clippers resulted in a 70-62 score in favor of the Clippers.
Terrence Mann was a game-changer for the LA Clippers with 14 first-half points off the bench. His effort on the defensive end is also worthy of note.
The LA Clippers started to assert their dominance to close out the second half. Low production from the Dallas Mavericks bench and a superior offense from the LA Clippers resulted in a 70-62 score in favor of the Clippers.
The Dallas Mavericks could not orchestrate a comeback
Boban Marjanovic was the spark in the Dallas Mavericks offense late in the game as he gradually helped his team close the gap on the score sheet.
Meanwhile, Kawhi activated MVP mode to lead the LA Clippers to a 26-4 run to end the third quarter, resulting in a 15-point lead heading into the fourth.
Marcus Morris consistently knocked down threes and finished the game as the second-highest scorer for the LA Clippers. He also received hearty cheers from Markieff Morris, who was available to support his brother after getting eliminated by the Phoenix Suns.
The Dallas Mavericks have once again been eliminated from the NBA playoffs first round by the LA Clippers for two consecutive years. The Clippers will go on to face the Utah Jazz in the second round.
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