The Los Angeles Clippers faced a tough loss to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 3 of their first-round series, and the biggest concern for the Clippers was the health of their star player, Kawhi Leonard. Leonard, who missed Game 1 with a knee injury, returned for Game 3 but clearly wasn’t at 100%. He finished with nine points, nine rebounds, and four turnovers in 24 minutes on the court.
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue revealed that Leonard was dealing with inflammation in his knee, which led to the team managing his minutes during the game. Despite the loss, Lue confirmed that Leonard would be available for Game 4.
The game took a turn for the worse in the fourth quarter when Russell Westbrook and P.J. Washington were both ejected after a heated exchange. Westbrook’s unnecessary foul on Luka Dončić and subsequent altercation with Washington led to their ejections from the game.
The Clippers struggled on both ends of the court, allowing the Mavericks to score easy baskets and committing 18 turnovers. The team’s offense was disjointed, shooting just 40.6% from the field.
With the series now at 2-1 in favor of the Mavericks, the Clippers will need to regroup and refocus for Game 4. Westbrook, in particular, will have to bounce back from his ejection and put on a better performance in what is sure to be a hostile environment in Dallas. Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday at 1:30 p.m. CT.