3 Studs, 2 duds in Mavericks’ road loss against Clippers

In another rivalry matchup vs the LA Clippers, the Mavericks ended up falling short 107-88 , in a game where it never was that close.

The Mavericks find themselves on a challenging streak, having lost three out of their last four games, and their recent encounter in LA did little to improve that feeling. As injuries and inconsistency plagued the team, the true grit of the Mavericks is set to be tested.

Several things jumped out, things we may not usually see in a Mavericks game. Rotations, productions, and the overall scheme seemed a little different than what we’re used too.

3 Studs, 2 duds in Mavericks’ road loss against Clippers

In a 30-point blow-out, not too many things go right, it’s hard to ignore the negatives, and it stings even more knowing it went down against the Clippers. We’ll dive into the nitty-gritty of what went wrong in a game that’s left Mavs fans scratching their heads.

Honorable Mention: Josh Green

Josh Green came off one of his best games this season, in the previous matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, but it didn’t take long for him to refer back to his old ways.

Green plays about 23 minutes per game, so his 9 minutes off the bench was pretty shocking for fans. The lack of production unfortunately was not shocking at all, Green tallied just 2 total stats in his 9 minutes and had a plus/minus of -15.

It’s worth keeping an eye on how Coach Kidd manages Green’s minutes moving forward. The fact that he didn’t hit the floor in the fourth quarter and only played for 2 minutes in the entire second half raises questions about his role in the rotation. It’ll be interesting to see how this unfolds in the upcoming games.

5. Stud – Kyrie Irving

One of the only positives of the night was the performance of Kyrie Irving, one of the only Mavericks who showed up in this game.

Irving came out hot, hitting his first 5 out of 8 shots, helping him finish with 12 points in the first quarter.

After the first quarter, the Mavericks’ sluggish beginning seemed almost inevitable. Irving shouldered a significant chunk of the early scoring, accounting for 12 out of the first 18 points, while Luka Doncic contributed the rest.

Irving continued to shoulder the scoring burden late in the game, scoring 7 points in each quarter of the 2nd half. Irving will always be able to get his shot in this league and isn’t something fans should worry about. If the injury to Luka Doncic is significant, we will look to Irving to become the #1 option.

When the team relies heavily on a single player, it disrupts the flow for others, making it challenging for them to find their rhythm. This early imbalance set the stage for an immediate deficit, and from there, the Clippers maintained control without much of a challenge.

Kyrie Irving’s performance was one of the only highlights of this game, and hopefully, he’ll continue his efficient play in the next matchup against the Houston Rockets.

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