Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Clippers Live Score and Stats – April 21, 2024

LOS ANGELES (AP) James Harden spent the season developing a pick-and-roll chemistry with big man Ivica Zubac. The future Hall of Famer in his first season in Los Angeles is schooling the longest-tenured Clipper.

It paid off in their playoff series opener.

Harden scored 28 points in his playoff debut for the Clippers, Zubac had a playoff-career high 20 points to go with 15 rebounds, and Los Angeles defeated Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks 109-97 Sunday.

“Just a perfect game for a big,” said Harden, who, like Paul George, is seeking his first NBA championship.

Game 2 is Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

“We are going against some Hall of Famers,” Dallas’ Kyrie Irving said. “I don’t even know if we even are favorites in this series and so we just have to pay attention to what we can control.”

Coach Tyronn Lue called the game’s first play for Zubac, and the Clippers were off to a dominating start.

“When I’m out there, I’m going to try to punish them in the post,” said Zubac, in his sixth season with the team. “I want to be the best version I can be for this team.”

Harden hit 6 of 11 3-pointers and had eight assists. George finished with 22 points after the Mavs slowed him in the first half. The Clippers outdid the Mavs at their own 3-point game, making 18 of 36 from long range to 10 of 33 for Dallas.

“We’re going to be very good any time Zu is playing at that level,” George said.

The Clippers had five players in double figures without Kawhi Leonard. The two-time NBA Finals MVP hasn’t played since March 31 because of inflammation in his surgically repaired right knee. Russell Westbrook finished with 13 points and fellow reserve guard Norman Powell played 30 minutes.

“We obviously want Kawhi back when he’s ready,” George said. “The luxury we have is just experience with James, myself, Russ, Norm’s been in big playoff battles.”

The teams were meeting in the playoffs for the third time in five years, with the Clippers having won both previous series.

“Their mentality was next man up and they did very well, very well,” Doncic said. “We just got to stay focused 48 minutes.”

Doncic led the Mavs with 33 points and 13 rebounds. Irving had 31 points and seven rebounds, but the Mavs got little from their supporting cast.

“Luka was finding the open guy. We just didn’t shoot well,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. “I like the way we played in the second half and we got to build on that.”

Trailing by 22, the Mavs outscored the Clippers 10-2 to close within 102-88. Dallas was helped by a technical on Zubac and a flagrant-1 foul for his subsequent actions after a second free throw attempt by Doncic. In all, it cost the Clippers four points after Doncic scored when the Mavs retained possession.

“I didn’t have a lot of technicals and flagrants in my life,” Zubac said. “I don’t know how I got both on the same play.”

Harden hit another 3-pointer, George scored four in…