Mavs Stars Doncic, Porzingis Thrive In Preseason Win Over Clippers

Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks hosted Paul George and the LA Clippers at the American Airlines Center to conclude their home schedule for the 2021-22 NBA preseason.

DALLAS - Coming off a 111-101 home victory over the Utah Jazz, the Dallas Mavericks hosted the LA Clippers on Friday. The Mavs improved to 2-0 in preseason play as the result of a 122-114 win. 

The Mavericks utilized a familiar starting lineup that featured Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, Kristaps Porzingis, and Dwight Powell. Dallas continued to utilize Porzingis at the power forward spot as planned. 

While Kawhi Leonard and Nicolas Batum did not play in this game, the Clippers continued their deployment of small-ball personnel by using Justise Winslow and Harry Giles in the frontcourt alongside Paul George.

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Doncic had a strong opening period totaling 10 points, three rebounds, and five assists. The Mavericks held an 11-point advantage when he checked out of the game at the 5:41 mark. The Clippers mounted a strong rallying effort and Dallas ended up trailing 31-30 at the end of the frame.

The Mavericks posted another strong offensive performance in the second period by posting another 30 points. The Clippers were contained to just 25 points -- resulting in a 60-56 halftime advantage for Dallas. 

Doncic nearly finished his first half of action with a triple-double as he posted 14 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. The Mavericks managed to outscore the Clippers by a nine-point margin during his time on the floor.

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Doncic's co-star, Porzingis, racked up impressive figures in his own right -- finishing this stretch with 15 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and three blocks. Against small ball personnel, Dallas made it a point to utilize his size advantage in key situations. 

Both teams largely deployed bench personnel for the second half of this game. Dallas withstood a 41-point frame from the Clippers in the third quarter and managed to outscore the opposition by a four-point margin after halftime. 

Eugene Omoruyi was a key standout for the Mavericks in the second half as he tallied 19 points, five rebounds, and two assists. Dallas used a team effort to close out the victory without their stars on the court. 

Staying healthy and establishing a rhythm to carry over into the regular season is what matters most in preseason basketball. The Mavericks' starters accomplished precisely that in the opening half before the stars sat for the remainder of the contest. 

Next up for the Mavericks is a road matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday with a 5:30 p.m. (CT) tipoff.