James Harden orchestrated a standout performance, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 109-97 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in their postseason opener.
Despite a remarkable combined effort of 64 points from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Clippers secured the crucial Game 1 win.
Harden, making his playoff debut for the Clippers, delivered had 28 points and eight assists, while Ivica Zubac stepped up with a playoff-career high of 20 points and 15 rebounds.
Paul George added 22 points and six rebounds, whole Terance Mann had 13 points and nine rebounds.
Los Angeles capitalized on their perimeter shooting, outshooting Dallas from beyond the arc with 18 made 3-pointers compared to the Mavericks’ 10.
The Clippers displayed balanced scoring, with five players reaching double figures, highlighting their ability to spread the offensive load without Kawhi Leonard, who has been sidelined due to injury since March.
Doncic led the charge for Dallas with 33 points and 13 rebounds, while Irving added 31 points and seven rebounds, but their efforts were not enough to overcome the Clippers’ collective effort.
Los Angeles dominated the first half, holding Dallas to just 30 points, their lowest first-half output in playoff history.
