Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving lead Mavs over Clippers 96-93 to tie series with return of Kawhi Leonard

LOS ANGELES – Led by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Dallas Mavericks rallied to take home-field advantage from the Los Angeles Clippers and the recently returned and rusty Kawhi Leonard.

Doncic scored 32 points, Irving added 23 and the Mavs won 96-93 on Tuesday night, tying the Western Conference first-round playoff series at one game apiece.

“Obviously it was a must-win and everyone was locked in,” said PJ Washington Jr., who had a big fourth quarter and finished with 18 points. “They punched us in the mouth in Game 1 and we just wanted to respond.”

Game 3 is Friday in Dallas.

Leonard had 15 points and seven rebounds in 35 minutes of his first game since March 31. He did not play or practice contact during that period because of inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee.

“I felt good,” Leonard said. “We still have more games to play and more time to improve. Keep trying to get your rhythm back.”

The Mavs led for most of the game two days after trailing by 29 points and eventually losing 109-97.

“We played 48 minutes of physical basketball,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. “Both teams were under 100 years old. It was the best basketball of the 90s.”

Paul George and James Harden led the Clippers with 22 points each. Ivica Zubac had 13 points and 12 rebounds. The team shot 37% from the floor and made just 8 of 30 3-point shots.

Leonard seemed to gain strength after the break and was more active defensively.

“Kawhi is one of the best in the world,” George said. “He’s going to find his rhythm and we’re going to find our rhythm around him.”

Plagued by poor shooting and behind for much of the game, the Clippers began to rally in the third. Trailing by seven, they outscored the Mavs 19-10 down the stretch to take a 66-65 lead into the fourth. Doncic tied the game at 65 before being called for a technical. Harden’s free throw gave the narrow lead.

“It’s been a long time since he got a technique, so I think he was just trying to see if he could get a technique,” ​​Kidd said. “He’s using this to move forward.”

The Clippers held the lead in the fourth, taking a 73-67 lead.

That’s when the Mavs scored 14 straight points and took an 81-73 lead. Washington hit a 3-pointer in front of the Clippers’ bench, and Doncic and Irving followed with their own shots.

Zubac’s dunk cut the Clippers’ deficit to 84-81 before Maxi Kleber and Doncic sank back-to-back 3s.

“The second half is how we should play the whole game,” Doncic said. “We have to learn from this.”

The Clippers trailed 93-90 on Leonard’s basket with 20 seconds remaining. Irving was called for a foul, which the Mavs contested and overturned. Irving made 3 of 4 free throws before George hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

“I had two breaks and we felt like we could burn one in one challenge,” Kidd said. “Kyrie said he hit the basketball and he was right.”

Mavs starting center Daniel Gafford injured his lower back three minutes into the game but returned in the second quarter, although he did not score. Tim Hardaway Jr. sprained his right ankle and did not return.

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