Needing Perimeter Shooting Against the Clippers, the Mavericks Hope Tim Hardaway Jr. Returns For Game 3

Dallas Mavericks eked out a 96-93 win against the Clippers to level the first-round series. Luka Doncic led the two-way effort for Mavs. He notched 32 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds while restricting his match-up to 2/17 shooting. While Kyrie Irving and PJ Washington chipped in with 23 points and 18 points, respectively, the team missed a major contributor, their 2023-24 regular season third-highest scorer, Tim Hardaway Jr. He played just six minutes in Game 2, as an awkward landing, after a missed three-pointer in the second quarter, injured his right ankle. 

As per Mavs’ latest injury report, the quick-fire scorer is set to miss Game 3. He is listed ‘Out’ due to a right ankle sprain. This is an unfortunate subtraction for the Mavs as they are short on perimeter scoring outside of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. While PJ Washington did chip in with 18 points in Game 2, he is prone to inconsistencies. 

Therefore, not having Hardaway Jr. is a significant blow to the Texas-based franchise. His non-availability further bolsters the Clippers which are loaded at the guard positions. Heading to Game 3, both teams may need to tap out their depth. It appears that a six, seven-game series is on the cards. For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard’s presence is important in such a tight series.

The Clippers fans are waiting for the clutch Kawhi

There have been numerous cold spells on the offensive end during the series. This is despite both the squads having some of the best offensive players to put on an NBA jersey. In Game 1, the Mavs offense crumbled in the first half and could just get to 29 points.

However, in Game 2, they got to 45 points at the end of the first half while restricting the Clippers to 41. These low-scoring tallies indicate that both the squads have upped their defense during the postseason. As for the Clippers, in Game 1, they shot 46%, while in Game 2, they were limited to around 36%.

This 10% drop-off may have been caused by Kawhi Leonard returning to the lineup after being out for more than a month. The team’s offense couldn’t adjust to his return, causing imbalances. While Leonard is ‘Questionable’ for Game 3, the Clippers would still hope that he is back after the Game 2 implosion. If this is a long series, they will need a prime closer like the Claw to seal the deal. While in Game 1, they did showcase tremendous grit without him, James Harden and Paul George have been disappearing acts during late series scenarios.