Clippers lasso the Mavericks 114-91

sixteen games. They have been that good second in net rating over their last ten games to the Oak Almost City Thunder, whoever the best record in the league. Clippers defense was suffocating twenty a time this season. They have held the team under one hundred points. Their defense is special, especially with Kawhi back, and I mean not just back out on the court, but back back looking like Kawhi

Leonard again. There were five lead changes in the first four minutes of this one, and then Kawhi really ramped up the defense and everybody else followed. That's what I saw out there. He also hit a mini in the first quarter after missing a couple of threes. Another one of the dotted line then hit a three pointer. He had nine points in the opening quarter, but the Clippers, after being tied at ten, went on an eleven to

two run. Zubots had back to back buckets at one point, and the Dallas Mavericks, after hitting some shots early, went one for eight to end the first quarter, and the Clippers led twenty nine to sixteen. Second straight game they held a team to sixteen points in the first quarter. They were up twenty two to sixteen Wednesday on the Pelicans after the first twelve minutes. Clippers defense awesome, stellar and their offense very good to start things off. Dallas

Mavericks are struggling. Maybe they get Anthony Davis back tomorrow. They could sure use them play. Thompson missed the second half of the ballgame due to illness. I mean, they were oh of five from three in the first quarter, they were oh of twelve from three, oh eleven on some box scores, oh of twelve on others. At the half, Clippers defense was good. Their offense was also very poor

in this one. But the second quarter was interesting to me because what you had was Drew Eubanks in place of Ben Simmons, who should be playing tomorrow, managing his left knee, next to Kawhi, next to Batoum, next to Bogie and DJ. Typically it's Ben Simmons in there in that five man unit to start second and fourth quarters with Kawhi Leonard leading the second unit. Right away, Bogey hits a three. He's been on fire. I don't know.

I don't know what's saying anymore. He's he's been shooting I think, forty five percent from three going back his last fifteen plus games. Now another good night from beyond the arc. I expected him to be good. He's been that. Then some as a Clipper, he's been awesome. He had the best pass of the night, as Carlo pointed out that behind the back wrap around between two defenders two Drew u Banks for a right handed hammer in the fourth quarter. But back to the second quarter, Bogey hits

a three. DJ Steele and dunk. Clippers are up thirty four to eighteen. I was watching Kawhi Leonard early in the second, got past PJ. Washington. I wanted to see that burst, but missed, missed a baseline fade away, missed a floater, so missed his first three shots of the second, then hit a three pointer as thirty seven or twenty. Clippers looked extremely active on defense. He's been like that for weeks now. Two way Kawi has been back. Norman hit a three pointer to put the Clippers up by twenty.

At forty to twenty, Bogey was playing some good defense on PJ. Washington, who was trying to bully him on the block and it wasn't happening. But how about Drew Banks with a spinning layup to make it forty two to twenty Clippers, And then Kawhi had a nice fade away on the left elbow done went hit a baseline layup that made it forty six to twenty one, and the Dallas Mavericks scored what was it, I think, eleven points during a twelve minute stretch from the end of

the first into the start of the second. The struggle was real, and the Clippers defense was as well, just locked down Alcatraz style. They were giving up nothing easy. Focused. It's not always easy to do against a lesser opponent, especially when you're hitting shots. Sometimes you give up some easy ones on the other end. But the Clippers look good. Zubot's right hand hook shot forty eight twenty three, another hook shot, fifty to thirty one. Clippers led it the

half fifty eight to thirty five. I mentioned the Dallas Mavericks being zero of twelve from three at the half, which was unbelievable. Max Christy we hit a three pointer early in the third. They started to make a little bit of a run. They got it to within nineteen. Kawhi turn around, fade away. Kawhi another fade away in the third quarter. Nasty stuff from him. Clipper's got a twenty four second violation on Dallas. Something I did notice PJ. Washington.

I don't know if he caught Kawhi with an elbow to the jaw or to the ear. It was away from the ball. Happened early in the third quarter. Kawhi was kind of shaking his head a little bit, stayed in the ballgame looked to be okay, and the big news is they're gonna reevaluate Kawhi to see if he's good to play tomorrow on a back to back for the first time this season. Hey, the Golden State Warriors aren't losing. They beat Denver tonight. Up next, they got

the Houston Rockets, but they're beating good teams. They beat the Lakers last night. If you want to keep pace, I guess you got to have that sense of urgency. And Kawhi only ended up playing twenty four minutes. And if the doctors say he's a go, if he's healthy enough to do it, why not even if he only gives them twenty minutes For fifteen minutes tomorrow. I know a lot of you guys were asking for that. I was still operating under the abundance of caution, but coach

lou said postgame. La Murray posted this afterwards, Kawhi Leonard will be reevaluated tomorrow so he could play on zero day's rest. Per tylu So some of you guys that were hoping if you played limited minutes in this game, which he did less than twenty four, it sounds like we'll find out at some point tomorrow if Kawhi in fact is available. Kawhi had some incredible defense on Caleb Martin also in the third quarter, just he couldn't shake him.

He had nowhere to go. Then Kawhi had a steal in a layup in transition, and Drew Eubanks gets in the ball game and hit a floater over Kai Jones. Kai, by the way, had a couple of jumpers, like a one just straight up jump shot, another fallaway over Viacha Zoubots. He was showing off the bag a little bit against his former team in this one, but I think U Bank's got the best of them. I think this was U Banks's best game as a Clipper. Before the third

quarter was over. Harden Wind a three pointer. Clippers are up twenty one to eighty one to sixty hitting into the fourth to start the fourth. I'm gonna look up these numbers tomorrow because I don't think they're calculated yet. I think Bogie is shooting some ridiculous numbers from three, especially in fourth quarters, because he had three three pointers in the fourth quarter the other night against the Pelicans.

He had three again tonight in the fourth quarter. He hit a three to start the fourth quarter, it's eighty four to sixty Clippers. Then Kawhi locked up Max Christie. I'm telling you, Kawhi loves going at young guys and giving them their initiation to the league. Welcome to the NBA. Moment, Max Christie got it. He's been in the league for a couple of years now, but he's been playing more minutes and more is asked of him offensively now with Dallas, and he has shown a lot more in his game.

Like I'm not complaining about Nico Harrison trying to get Max Christie away from the Lakers. That made sense to me. I still think they are about two first round picks short of an equal trade. Bogi had a nice pass to DJ underneath the rim for a dunk. I see other part of Bogdanovic's game. He's a good passer, he can run, pick and roll. He offers something different. Then DJ had to pass from Bogie above the arc, knock

down to three, and the Clippers were up thirty. Their biggest lead was thirty five, but they were up thirty after that three from DJ at ninety two to sixty two. U Bank's layup Bogie another three, his third of the fourth U Bank's big right handed throwdown. Patty Mills gets in the game. Bogi goes behind the back, then between two defenders to U Banks for another right handed throwdoun. Nasty work. Cam Christy actually got into the ballgame, had a put back on a miss because the Clippers were

up by as many as thirty five. U Banks block Kai Jones. Sky Jones got blocked by Drew U Banks. I don't know he was. He was on different times tonight than I had seen from Drew U Banks, and I like it tonight. The guys saw could get some playoff minutes depending on the matchup. Then you know they're

big out there. Clippers, big victory one fourteen to ninety one over the Dallas Mavericks where Kawhi only plays twenty four minutes and it's going to be reevaluated in the morning to see if he's available for tomorrow's game, and you know Kawhi wants to play. Is up to the doctors. He played twenty three minutes and forty four seconds, technically eight of seventeen, twenty points, six boards, great defense. Clippers blow out the Dallas Mavericks, will take a quick time out.

We'll come back more clipperstock live from into a Dome. I'm out of Maslin's and you're listening to the Patriot amleven fifteen.

this is Clippers stock, but they're taking on Dallas. Luca's not there anymore. Ad is not able to play this game. We'll see if he plays tomorrow. That trade is so baffling, like Luca could get hurt the next game, never play again. And it was still a bad trade because you didn't get equal value, and you helped out the Lakers, which is why I'm so bothered. I mean, I feel for Dallas Mavericks fans first. I feel for the rest of the league and especially the Clippers, who have dealt with

Luca more than anyone after Mark Jackson. Kai Jones is a freak athlete who is trying to figure out the basketball side of it. Reminds me of stro Miles Swift. I have mentioned stro Miles Swift with Sky Jones, and I'm a fan of his, but yeah, he just doesn't have those natural basketball instincts. But man, he hit a fallaway in the second half of this one over viats the Zubats. He's gotten a green light in Dallas because of all the injuries. Danielle gafferd just came back, Derek

Lively still out. Maybe he plays tomorrow, ad maybe he plays tomorrow. So he's gotten a ton of minutes to work through. You know, some of the kinks are some of the struggles out there. When you know you're getting a certain chunk of minutes, there's less pressure with every shot. I mean, that's tough for young guys when you know you're only getting five ten minutes every shot is so big, and guys are gripping when you know you're getting a solid amount of minutes, and guy Jones ended up with

almost twenty three. In this game, you can play with a little bit more looseness to your game, calmness, and he looked like it. He wasn't looking over his shoulder like he's gonna get pulled if he takes a jump shot. But that's simply because the position Dallas is in versus where the Clippers were with him, and the expectations were a lot higher. But I'm still rooting for Sky Jones. I'm a fan, maybe because I gave him that nickname right before you had the game winning al up up

in Seattle against Portland in the preseason. Yeah, Drew eu Banks played tonight because no Ben Simmons, and I thought he played well. Dre brought that up on the YouTube chat side. I think this was his best game, and I said that like midway through the third quarter. I was like, you know, I think Carlo and I were talking off air. This is low key Drew Eubanks the

best he has looked. He looked really good tonight, level of competition factor, all those things in Yes, but there was some confidence from Drew eu Banks like he went six of seven with twelve and seven in seventeen minutes. He was a plus seventeen, a lot of sevens there. I was happy for him. I hope that carries over because he's a big body and you never know, depending on matchups in the playoffs, you might need them. Dave Richards said, Adam, who do you most want to see?

First round? Between the Lakers, Rockets, Denver and Golden State Rockets easy, no disrespect. Rockets are good. They could win that series. There's an unknown factor there with how some of these young guys are gonna look in their first playoff action, how Jalen Green, Jabari Smith, Amen Thompson could look out there because they just haven't tasted playoff basketball before and that's scary. But I'd rather take the inexperience versus championship experience with Denver and Golden State and the

Lakers with Lebron. Enzop said, I don't want to play Luca again. I think a lot of people feel like that. Chunk said, at this point, I think Lakers, grizz or Nuggets have a better chance of being in play in than t Wolves, or Warriors. If you look at the NBA standings after the Clippers victory tonight over Dallas and the Warriors winning over the Nuggets, and also the Rockets winning earlier over Oksee. So the Rockets remember ok See, they're the number one seed, that it's already locked up.

That's over. The Rockets are thirteen and a half games behind them. I don't know, national media wise, they have not made a big enough deal about just how dominant Okac has been all season long. They might win sixty nine to seventy games, how many they got left. They're at sixty four and thirteen. Houston's behind them in the two spot at fifty one to twenty seven. They are three and a half games up on the Lakers, who are now in the three spot. They won over the Pelicans.

They're forty seven and thirty. The Lakers are half game up on Denver, who lost to Golden State tonight. They're forty seven and thirty one. Golden State is forty six and thirty one in the five spot, behind Denver by a half game. Minnesota is in the sixth spot at forty five in thirty two. The Clippers are tied with them and with Memphis, and the Clippers are in front of Memphis due to the tiebreaker head to head, Clippers in the seventh spot in the playing currently Memphis in

the eighth spot. That is Dallas at thirty eight and forty in the ninth spot and Sacramento at thirty seven and forty in the tenth spot. Phoenix is almost done, as they got waxed tonight by the Boston Celtics. I don't know if they're mathematically eliminated. I don't think they are. Two games back in Sacramento, but that is some of the most uninspiring basketball I've ever seen by a team that talented. I mean, they've gotten I think sixty games from KD and Booker this year. What is the issue?

It should not be this bad. I mean, I know defensively they're not good. There's more to that story. So the Clippers are in a solid position where with five games left, if they win all five, they're guaranteed to be out of the plane. They running back tomorrow against Dallas, and Kawhi may play. He's gonna be reevaluated. See if he's good for a back to back sense of urgency. Now we don't know what doctors are gonna say about it. Kauhi has been willing to play back to backs. He's

the players always want to play. He said after their last one Cleveland Orlando last weekend that he was good. But you can't push things. Some people in here are saying not worth it. Sit Kawhi like, if the doctors say he's good and it's limited minutes tomorrow A We're gonna trust, you know, bro Science or the doctors who have been evaluating the situation the entire time. But they say he's good, He's good. Maddix said, I think Hawhi is playing tomorrow

him with They said, Denver Vans are turning on against Westbrook. Well, the Russell Westbrook experience has been on full display over the last week. Mark Jack said, dinwid he was blowing past Bogey, but Bogey is giving a ton of effort on defense, and he's smart. I'll tell you what PJ. Washington wasn't. He tried to bully him, back him down. Bogey stood his ground. Hotline bling is a good song and said Ad didn't want to ruin the perfect record?

What perfect record? Dre said, Ad, you gonna play tomorrow for sure, Legend said Westbrook is destroying us even when he's not here. X Mamo project. He said kai Jones era felt so many years ago? Kind of did I mean? Kai Jones was their center to start the season. Remember Obamba was out their backup center. He had an opportunity. But his problem is just basketball instincts wise because he

started playing at a later age. Track star always beats his man down the floor, triple jumper guy like well Chamberlain was. His problem is just positioning, knowing where to be every possession. But I hope he figures it out. And he's still young enough and he works hard. And if you listen to any the interviews, like I don't know how you couldn't be rooting for kai Jones. Kay Jones, I'm all in following his career. I still follow him on on

the Instagram. The Graham Mark Jackson, I expect the Maps to try and get revenge tomorrow. Can't come out sleepwalking. Yeah, I expect the maps to be better. They're not gonna start zero of twelve from three tomorrow. Sim Max said, you Banks played well? Did U Banks? Lowke he cooked Dre's gaming said they must be focused tomorrow even more,

especially starting out. Yeah, you're right. I thought they still started slow slightly, but Kawhi after the first time out looked really laser focused defensively, and I think it kind of energized the rest of the group. Kawhi is so underrated in how few possessions. I know he's defensive Player of the Year winner, but how few possessions he takes off with what is asked of him offensively, How few

possessions he takes off on the defensive end. And that guy has so much pride defensively, it's just incredible, and he's bapped to playing at that high level now. But it was a ten to ten game, and then he got a shot to go, got to the free throw line. He scored seven straight for them from the five point fifty six mark of the first quarter to the four to twenty nine mark and now they're up seventeen to ten or four to forty one mark. Like he just

took over and that's his offense. His defense was special during that stretch too, like it was Kawhi leading them. I thought James Harden really struggled early on. He had four turnovers in the first quarter, four of their five, and they were some real bad, sloppy miscues from James. It wasn't his best game. Thirteen points, four over eleven shooting, five assists of five turnovers, so he only had one after the first quarter. He cleaned it up as he

typically does. He's had some bad quarters, some bad halves. Turn it around. Yeah, I'm sure Baldwin Juniors shot looked nice. He knocked down two three pointers in his three minutes late. I was watching this form going like, wow, is that Michael Porter Junior out there? Okay, okay, chill. Mark Jacks said they probably strategically sat Clay out in the second half, resting him for the next game. They said he was out with an illness. Max Christie started the second half. Yeah,

Dre's talking about it. Baldwyn Junior's ball, he had a wet ball. He had some splash splash bros to him with those three pointers. It kind of clayish the shot now, it was just I don't know, I was a pretty shot. Mark Jack said, the MAVs are playing for positioning in the play in true, but the positioning is are they going to be ninth or tenth? Basically, are they going to get a home game because they can't catch the Clippers or Memphis Grizzlies or anybody else. They can't get

into the seven eight. They're locked into the nine ten. I don't could Phoenix if they won out Dallas lost out, the Suns could probably catch them. But oh that's happening. Not with the way that Sons have been playing. We'll take a quick time out. Clippers win one fourteen to ninety one over the Dallas Mavericks. I'm Adam Moslin. We'll get your phone calls next here on the Patriot AM eleven fifty.

The last time we saw him, I think was against was it Orlando where he got pulled Yes, at the end of the first quarter after a bad turnover. They put Kawhi back in for him. Coach lou was not happy with this play in like a minute and a half. So let's hope he's got a little bit more confidence and an understanding of what they're asking of him, because I thought Drew Eubanks was really good in this game. Terry eighty six. Eighty six says Adam. I just want us to be out of the play in, but be

healthy playoff LA season. What about Kobe Brown, I was underwhell by his minutes four of two from three. Did he take one at the end of the third quarter or the end of a shock lock? I just I've always felt like the idea of Kobe Brown was a lot of it was based off of him shooting forty six percent from three is last season at Missoo and being a jack of all trades but a decent three

point shooter at this level. Is I think with any of him a guy who could bring the ball up, rebound, switched defensively onto multiple guys, and then also knock down the three ball here and there. Three ball is not translated, not at the NBA level, not at the g leigue level. And you know, he went from shooting like twenty five percent his first few years in college forty six percent.

It was one year. Unfortunately. I'm rooting for him because I do think he has some nice reads here and there with his passing and his playmaking and the connector guy and is rebounding.

Nico and Ben Legacy Game Tomorrow, death Stroke said, if you Banks can develop some playmaking and get stronger, he can get some minutes. I don't think they're looking for playmaking from him. I think what they're looking for is rent protection, rebounds and a few putbacks and you know, a few floaters here and there, just some easy big man offense, rim runs, finishing plays at the rim. Mueller said, I'm about to bet my mortgage on the Clips winning

the Chip this year. Okay, good luck to you, sir. Marcel said, I'm also still frustrated with the trade. I was just thinking that today. That goes back to me talking about Nico Harrison. Yeah, it's every day for me. Dre said, yeah, Kawhi told Zu come up higher on the pick and roll. He was really locked in defensively. Yeah, Kawhi communicating out there. Well. Damien said, we'll be seven or eight in the play in. Unfortunately, if they went out, they won't be in the plan. Dre said, no team

wants to play us. Mark Jaggs said, z you better get his rest tonight going up against eighty tomorrow. So Zoo ended up playing just twenty six minutes, now twenty seven. Chris dun was at twenty three. Harden, of course, still got to thirty minutes. Somehow, Norman Palell just under thirty, Kawhi just under twenty four bogey with twenty one, Derek Jones Junior with twenty three minutes. I liked his game.

I love the versatility of Derreck Jones Junior. Whether coming off the bench or with the starters, you get real consistency from him. In a lot of different lineups and rotations out there. He remains the same. He's been very stable and consistent. Terry said Adam, those four teams don't want us as well. Yeah, nobody wants see the Clippers for sure, like nobody wants to see anybody in the West.

It's gonna be a bloodbath in the playoffs. Chunk said, we match up pretty perfectly with Golden State, though, Yeah, I don't hate their chances against Golden State. Kny the GM said Denver really lost against the Wolves and Golden State. Mark Jaggs said, if okay See rest guys, that might throw off their rhythm and momentum. Denver really lost to San Antonio, by the way, in between those two games, I don't know. Okaysee is so good with their perimeter defense,

they don't have a lot to worry about. I think you know, it's their inexperience, Like are they going to play to their talent level? If they do, maybe nobody beats them and they're just that good and they got the MVP and Shay the kny GM said, it's ridiculous that the seventh and eighth seeds have more more than seven wins over the ninth and tenth and still have to play in the plan. I mean that's fair. The first year, remember of the play in, it was different.

It was the COVID year. It was twenty twenty, and they said, you know, if team get within five games one another, they'll do it. I think it was Memphis in Portland and Portland just had to win one game to get out and Memphis would have to win two because they had the worst record. So it was a different format for the play and then and part of it was you had to be close enough in the standings. It's a good point, Kenny. We don't know if Lively is playing tomorrow yet, I'm just gonna assume he is.

Dre said, got to go, you guys, have a good night with you for another ten minutes here, Maddick said, Adam BJ Matthews. For somehow it feels like he don't trust the Clippers in the playoffs this year. He keeps playing Tyler Lou. He tends to do that. Terry said Live the will play tomorrow. I think that Mexicanara said Norm should be out tomorrow. Right. Uh No, Norm played the back to back against Cleveland and Orlando. He's already played a back to back. That's not an issue. We'll

take a quick time out. We'll come back. Clippers won one fourteen to ninety one over the Dallas Mavericks. You're it into a dome. I'm out of Mauslims and this is Clippers sock here on the Patriot Ambulance fifty.

think we'll get there. I mean, he had nine boards in the first quarter that tied a career high for rebounds in the first Zoo has been dominant. Welcome back into clipperstock. I'm out of Maslin final segment here at into it Dome. How about Drew u Banks. He has a Clippers high of twelve points. His Jazz HIDH this season was seventeen points. I just love the energy and motor he played with and that's never really been a problem with him. The difference between him and Mobamba U

Banks typically is always moving out there. The level of activity and motor that's never been questioned with him. Clippers ended up with forty four bench points Bogie twelve, u Banks twelve. And again the Dallas Mavericks, they went four of twenty from three after starting zero of twelve. That's incredible. But this Clippers team just continue to pour it on, and I think it starts with their defense. Guys, like their shot making was good, going fourteen to thirty from

the outside. Don't get me wrong, but they hold the Dallas Mavericks in ninety one points. They lead the league in most games keeping an opponent under one hundred. This was their twentieth game this season doing that. The defense has just been so dominant. But this Clippers ball club, the offense has caught up to their defense. What up, Grantmona, see you tomorrow. I'll make sure it comes. Say Hi, appreciate you. You're a star. Looks like a Bond villain. You know,

a good looking Bond villain. That's Grandmona. This Clippers team with a good looking victory, just the type of win you need to get to have a chance for Kawhi to play tomorrow, and he'll be reevaluated. Probably better chance than not that he plays how many minutes I don't know. He was only at twenty three minutes and forty four

seconds tonight. And then the Clippers have two days off Sunday Monday, and then two games on or two days on Tuesday against San Antonio here, and then the regular season finaleed into it on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets. You would assume that's the game Kawhi would play but if we have a breakthrough tomorrow with him playing a back to back, does he play San Antonio and Houston? If he feels good coming out of the back to back? A lot of unknowns how many minutes is he gonna

be able to go the Clipper playoff modes activate. As David says here in the chat, I'm not assuming anything with Kawhi, but I think it's more likely than not that he plays tomorrow. It just makes sense. He's been wanting to play back to backs. He says, he's been feeling really good. He just looked fantastic out there, and you have two days off afterwards, and because Golden State won again tonight over Denver, you're trying to keep pace with them. You still play them in the final game

of the regular season. You want that to mean something. You don't want Golden State to have it locked up that they're outside of the play in. You're hoping the Clippers, you know, aren't in that position where they already know they're gonna be in the play in, and that game isn't meaningful. To do that, you gotta win ball games.

There's five games left. If they win all five, they're in a playoff series against who we don't know, but it's just the level of urgency has to be there, and we saw it tonight from this team fully locked in against a Dallas team that's struggling, that was down

many men. I like the professionalism and the business like approach from this Clipper squad that we've seen as they've won thirteen of their last sixteen games, and when bad team have been put in front of them, they've handled business as they should, led by as many as thirty five win one, fourteen to ninety one over the Dallas Mavericks. Here at into a dome where we'll be tomorrow, same two teams. We run it back. We'll have your pregame show right here at six thirty. Before we get out

of here. I do want to thank the Clippers organization. Ralph Lawler, Brian Seaman, Noah Igo, Carlo Jimenez, big brother, Jake Warner, are head engineer. Hear it into a zome. Daniel West our producer back in the bank. I love y'all. I'm Adam Moslin. Talk to you tomorrow right back your six thirty Clippers and Mavericks.