Kawhi Leonard propels the Clippers to Game 7 by scoring 45 points at 18/25 on shots and 5/9 from parking

Kawhi Leonard’s Los Angeles Clippers (45 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals) won over the Dallas Mavericks (104-97) on Friday. The two teams will meet on Sunday for a seventh and final game, in their series of the first round of the NBA play-offs. The Los Angeles Clippers went to win on the floor of the Dallas Mavericks (104-97) on Friday in Game 6 of the series between the two teams in the first round of the NBA play-offs. Californians and Texans are tied for three wins apiece. The seventh and final game will be played in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The start of the game begins in a familiar way for Dallas with Tim Hardaway Jr (23 points) and Kristaps Porzingis hitting the target at 3 points as Reggie Jackson allows the Clippers to remain in ambush (19-17). As Luka Doncic wakes up, the two defenses begin to gain the upper hand. Paul George and Kawhi Leonard remain discreet but Reggie Jackson’s 14 points put the two teams back to back, before a fadeaway from the Slovenian gives Dallas two points (28-26).

Unlike the offensive festival of the first five rounds, the game hardens considerably in the second quarter. In this game, it’s the Mavs that make the difference. Jalen Brunson brings as soon as he comes into play while the Clippers bench remains silent, and Luka Doncic takes the opportunity to bring the gap to +9 (39-30).

Kawhi Leonard alone against all
With the Los Angeles season hanging in the balance, Kawhi Leonard takes responsibility. He scores seven points in a row to launch a 12-2 which gives his team the advantage (42-41). Doncic answers him but the Mavs keep losing balls and the pair George – Leonard confirms the good passage of the Clippers to return to the locker room with three points in advance (48-45). At the break, the two teams are 4 of 15 away.

Dominated in the third quarter in their three defeats, the Clippers cash a 13-3 in the first minutes of the second half under the assaults of Tim Hardaway Jr. to go from +5 to -5 (60-55 ). A shot with the board of Luka Doncic drives the point home but it is once again Kawhi Leonard who brings his team back.

He passed an 11-0 to the Mavs to put Los Angeles in front of the score (71-67). The MVP of the 2019 Finals finally scores 15 points in a row while his teammates fail but Dallas ends the quarter on a 10-2 to keep control of the meeting (77-73).

“The Klaw” finishes the job
After a complicated third quarter, Paul George wakes up to launch and finish a 9-2 which once again revives Los Angeles (82-79). While Luka Doncic is only 6 of 16 on shots, his 11 assists allow Tim Hardaway Jr. to shine to continue the cross chase between the two teams but the Clippers’ defense ramps up to limit Dallas 2 out of 12 on shots. On the other side, George and Leonard ensure the scoring and an alley-oop from Nicolas Batum forces Rick Carlisle to take a time out (90-85).

Luka Doncic tries to revive the machine with an award-winning shot but Kawhi Leonard connects a mid-distance shot and two award-winning shots to put the Clippers at +10 with less than 60 seconds to go (100-90). Dallas will not recover, and for the sixth time in this series, the away team wins (104-97) thanks to an incredible performance from Kawhi Leonard. See you on Sunday for the only Game 7 of this first round!

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