Clippers most to blame after Game 2 loss to Mavericks

Paul George did not have the best performance in Game 1, but it was more than enough to secure the advantage for the Clippers. George is known as a superb three-way scorer in the association, but that was far from the case in Game 2. He was still able to tally 22 markers, but his impact and aggressiveness was mediocre at best.

As a star in the NBA, attempting only 14 shots in a close battle against one of your arch rivals will be tough to stomach for their franchise. Eclipsing at minimum 20 attempts is a must especially because Leonard is still easing himself to the pace of the NBA Playoffs. Furthermore, George was lacklustre in his production in the other categories as he only recorded two rebounds and four assists.

George will need to be more of a factor in Game 3, and he must limit his fouls because he committed five in Game 2.

James Harden

James Harden was the top performer of Los Angeles in their Game 1 triumph as he was an important asset in the scoring cudgels but also in dishing it off to his teammates. He is known to have exemplary Game 1’s in his postseason career, so it was not a surprise that he contributed 28 points and eight assists. His point total dropped to 22 in Game 2, and his efficiency was lower as well.

The 2/10 shooting from long distance in Game 2 must be rectified immediately as the Mavericks will likely have better three-point shooting numbers in their home court. The expectations for Harden to contribute elevates a bit in this series because of Leonard’s situation, so he must be more of a consistent threat as a shot creator and floor general. Three points in the fourth period is not the usual Harden numbers, so a rejuvenated Harden must show up on Friday night.

Tyronn Lue

One name who must be mentioned when a piece discusses the Clippers Game 2 loss is their head coach Tyronn Lue. He was an excellent mentor in Game 1 as Doncic struggled immensely as his frustration grew throughout the afternoon.

In Game 2, that was far from the case as the offensive schemes were painful to watch from a fan’s perspective. The spacing was questionable as the made threes of Los Angeles plummeted from 18 to eight. Their defensive schemes on Doncic and Irving were different, which was a bit confusing because there seemed to be no reason to alter it.

Lue is a championship coach, so it is a guarantee he will have a plethora of new strategies in Game 3.