PLAYA VISTA — Beating the fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the NBA playoffs is simple: Contain Luka Doncic. How to do it is a bit more complicated for the fourth-seeded Clippers.
The Mavs’ five-time All-Star guard is a tough assignment. Doncic is not just a scorer, averaging 33.9 points per game, but a prolific rebounder (9.2 rpg) and passer (9.8 apg).
“You got to pick your poison,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “I think you got to just give him different looks to try to keep him off-balance. But he’s too great to give him a steady diet, the same thing over and over again, and so you got to mix up your coverages. You got to do different things to try to keep him off-balance.”
Doncic isn’t the Clippers’ only concern. There’s also future Hall of Fame guard Kyrie Irving, plus the recent additions of center Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington, who both have moved into the starting lineup.
Irving, who dealt with a heel injury earlier and missed the third game this season against the Clippers, is averaging 25.6 points and 5.2 assists. Gafford and Washington combined are chipping in averages of 11.4 points and 6.9 rebounds for the Mavs (50-32).
Dallas, which ended the season winning 16 of its last 18 games, is scoring 117.9 points a game, compared to the Clippers’ 115.6. The Clippers (51-31) beat the Mavericks in two of their three meetings this season.
The task of beating the Mavs again will be more challenging without Kawhi Leonard, the cornerstone of the Clippers’ defense who has been dealing with inflammation in his right knee. Leonard officially is considered questionable for Game 1, but the All-Defensive wing player hasn’t participated in full contract drills.
Lue said Leonard took part in shooting drills Friday and would do so again Saturday with more movement. There was no indication whether Leonard took any jump shots.
Regardless, Lue is preparing for Game 1 with or without Leonard, saying he already has penciled in an unnamed fifth starter. It most likely will be Amir Coffey, who has started in place of Leonard at times this season.
The Clippers went 4-4 without Leonard in the final eight regular-season games. Two of the victories came against the Denver Nuggets and Cleveland Cavaliers, games that give Lue confidence heading into the first-round series.
Still, Lue added that stopping the Mavs’ two-player attack is not the job of any one Clippers player.
“It’s on all of us. It’s not just one player or two players, it’s all of us collectively doing our jobs and doing it the best we can do,” Lue said. “It’s not on one or two guys, it’s on everybody to produce, as well as me and the coaching staff as well.”
Paul George, who will be playing in his first playoff series in two years, said he expects Leonard to be back on the court during the postseason.
“I think from the injury standpoint, we’ve just been unlucky in remaining healthy,” George said. “But again, (we are) more so focused on a positive and do think at some point he’ll be with us.”
George missed last season’s first-round series against the Phoenix Suns and Leonard suffered a torn meniscus in Game 2, leading to the Clippers’ elimination in five games.
“Injuries happen. That’s part of the game (and there’s) no way of really avoiding it,” George said. “So, as much as chemistry and being on the floor together and playing the best basketball you could possibly play at this point of the season, a lot of it has to do with luck, too.”
Lue said his team has pushed aside the talk of injuries and what-ifs and has locked in on their goal of advancing to the next round with the players available. He applauded their mindset.
“I give these guys a lot of credit for locking into the game plan, understanding what we’re trying to take away, what we’re willing to give up,” Lue said.
“They know exactly where they’re supposed to be, what they’re supposed to do, and that’s a good feeling going into Game 1.”
Related Articles
Clippers vs. Mavericks: First-round scouting report, prediction
Clippers navigated regular season filled with twists and turns
The Audible: What’s better than playoff time in L.A.? (Maybe free chicken?)
Swanson: Clippers-Mavericks III could be epic – if Kawhi Leonard plays
Clippers lack clarity on Kawhi Leonard’s Game 1 availability
No. 4 CLIPPERS vs. No. 5 DALLAS MAVERICKS
Series schedule, all times PT
Game 1: Sunday, at Clippers, 12:30 p.m. (ABC/Ch. 7)
Game 2: Tuesday, at Clippers, 7 p.m. (TNT)
Game 3: Friday, April 26, at Dallas, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
Game 4: Sunday, April 28, at Dallas, 12:30 p.m. (ABC/Ch. 7)
Game 5 (if nec.): Wednesday, May 1, at Clippers
Game 6 (if nec.): Friday, May 3, at Dallas
Game 7 (if nec.): Sunday, May 5, at Clippers