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Kawhi Leonard
scored 45 points and Reggie Jackson added 25 as the Los Angeles
Clippers kept their season alive with a 104-97 victory over the
host Dallas Mavericks on Friday to force a Game 7 in a
first-round Western Conference playoff series.
Paul George scored 20 points with 13 rebounds as the Clippers
rallied from a seven-point deficit in the third quarter, while
also shaking off a loss at home in Game 5 to even the series
3-3.
All six games in the series have been won by the road team for
the first time in NBA playoff history.
Luka Doncic scored 29 points with 11 assists for the Mavericks,
who will get their second chance to advance Sunday at Los
Angeles. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 23 points for Dallas, which is
trying to avenge a first-round defeat to the Clippers in last
season's playoffs.
Leonard stepped up in the Clippers' elimination game, scoring a
series-high. He went 18 of 25 from the field, also a high for
shot attempts in the series, and was 5 of 9 from 3-point range.
Doncic was content to be more of a ball distributor, reaching
double digits in assists in the third quarter. He had just 17
points with five minutes remaining after scoring 42 in Game 5.
With the Clippers up 90-88 and just over three minutes
remaining, Leonard made a long jumper, followed by consecutive
3-pointers in a decisive stretch as Los Angeles went up 99-90
with 1:41 to play.
The Mavericks led 77-73 at the start of the fourth quarter
before the Clippers jumped in front 90-85 with 5:03 remaining on
a Nicolas Batum dunk. Doncic followed with a 3-pointer, his
first of the game with 4:41 remaining, to get Dallas within one
possession before Leonard took over.
The Clippers' defense was a difference maker, holding the
Mavericks to 41.6 percent shooting for the game and 29.2 percent
(7 of 24) in the fourth quarter.
The Mavericks appeared to be on their way early, leading for the
bulk of the first half, and by as many as nine midway through
the second quarter. The Clippers went on a 6-0 run to end the
period and take a 48-45 lead into the break.
The Clippers only received points from their starters in the
first half, with Leonard (16) leading the way. Doncic had 15 at
the break, going 5 of 11 from the field and 0 of 3 from 3-point
range.
--Field Level Media
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