Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving lead Mavericks over Clippers 96-93 to tie series as Kawhi Leonard returns

Luka Dončić scored 32 points and the Dallas Mavericks conquered the return of Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard to beat Los Angeles 96-93 on Tuesday night and tie their Western Conference first-round playoff series at a videogame each.

Leonard had 15 points and 7 rebounds in 35 minutes of his veryfirst videogame because March31 He hadn’t played or had any contact practices throughout that stretch duetothefactthat of swelling in his surgically fixed right knee.

Kyrie Irving included 23 points for the Mavs, who led most of the videogame 2 days after they routed by 29 points and ultimately lost 109-97. P.J. Washington Jr. included 18 points.

Game 3 is Friday in Dallas.

Paul George and James Harden led the Clippers with 22 points each. Ivica Zubac had 13 points and 12 rebounds. The group shot 37% from the flooring and made simply 8 of 30 3-guidelines.

Plagued by bad shooting and behind for much of the videogame, the Clippers started rallying in the 3rd. Trailing by 7, they outscored the Mavs 19-10 down the stretch to take a 66-65 lead into the 4th. Dončić connected the videogame at 65-all before getting called for a technical. Harden’s complimentary toss supplied the narrow lead.

The Clippers kept it up in the 4th, taking a 73-67 lead.

That’s when the Mavs scored 14 straight points to take an 81-73 lead. Washington hit a 3-tip in front of the Clippers’ bench, and Dončić and Irving followed with ones of their own in the spurt.

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

The Clippers tracked 93-90 on Leonard’s basket with 20 seconds left. Irving was called for a nasty, which the Mavs challenged and got it reversed. Irving made 3 of 4 complimentary tosses before George sank a 3-tip at the buzzer.

Mavs beginning center Daniel Gafford hurt his lower back 3 minutes into the videogame, however returned in the 2nd quarter although he was scoreless. Tim Hardaway Jr. sprained his right ankle and didn’t return.

Reporting by The Associated Press.