Clippers Beat the Clippers to Beat Mavericks
The Los Angeles Clippers had Kawhi Leonard to thank for avoiding a discouraging repeat loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
Clippers coach Ty Lue warned they would have to have their ‘stuff together’ against the team who beat them by 50 points in the third game of the season.Â
The Clippers came into the game on inconsistent form, having been routed 135 – 115 by the Pelicans the day before.
Kawhi Leonard, who expressed concern over the team’s struggles, produced a leaders’ performance to lead LA to a 109-99 win.
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Leonard finished with 22 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals. He played 40 minutes on the second night of a back to back. Lue said he lifted the team.
“Kawhi was great tonight with huge rebounds down the stretch and just bringing us home,” said Ty Lue.
“He wasn’t gonna let us lose this game tonight.
Kawhi just showing his leadership of just wanting to play back-to-backs, he’s healthy,” Lue added.
“That’s big for us. … Back-to-backs test your manhood, test who you are and test your character. And I thought tonight we responded very well.”
Marcus Morris Sr was restored to the starting 5 for the game, and said the team has been beating itself.
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“I don’t think it’s a struggle,” Morris said.
“Everything that’s happened has been that we’re beating ourselves. These teams that are beating us aren’t better than us, I can tell you that straightforward.
“We’re beating ourselves, we’re going to continue to get better… we got to play our style of basketball. And some games, we gonna lose. Some games, you know teams go through tough patches, man, that’s what makes championship teams. Nobody’s worried about that.”
