The return of Kawhi Leonard was enough to ensure there was positivity from the Los Angeles Clippers despite their loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday. (More Football News)
Luka Doncic had 32 points, nine assists and six rebounds and the Mavs secu🅠red a 96-93 win to even their Western Conference first-round playoff series at 𓃲a game apiece.
K🍸yrie Irving added 23 points and PJ Washington had 18 for the Mavericks, who take the series back to Dallas for Game 3 on Friday.
Leonard had 15 points and seven rebounds in 35 minutes in his first game since March 31. He had not played or engaged in any contact practices during that stretch because of inflammation in his surgically repaired k🙈nee.
He shot 7-of-17 but missed all five of his 3-point attempts as the Clippers fell s𒁏hort, but his return to action still came as a significant boost.
"Kawhi is one of the best in the world," said Paul Georg🍰e, per ESPN.
"H🌠e is going to find his rhythm. We are going to find our rhy🌞thm around him. We feel good about it."
George and James Harden each score🅘d 22 points and Ivi🔯ca Zubac added 13 with 12 rebounds for the Clippers, who shot 36.8 per cent (32 for 87) from the field and missed 22 of 30 from long range.
The Clippers were ahead 73-67 with 9:32 remaining but the Mavs scored 14 straight points for an 81-73 lead. Th𒆙ey did not relinquish the advantage from there.
"Just keep trying to get a rhythm back and obviously try to win a basketball game," Leonard said abou📖t h🌊is return.
"We got pretty stagnant in that fourth quarter. I want to just be able to get a rhyth✤m with the team and get a win.
"It has just been about 🐻being able to get on the floor and ♏shoot consistent days and being able to run the last few weeks.
"I haven't been on the ꦆfloor, so the last couple days it felt great and I was able to play.
"This is my first game in 20-something days. We got to be better as a unit over🌠all and it starts with me. And even if my wind is low, I got t🙈o find a way."
