RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
 GAME FLOW
LOS ANGELES -- Free throws were anything but free for the
Los Angeles Clippers. They paid dearly for the 20 they missed.
They outshot and outrebounded the Dallas Mavericks on a night
when Michael Finley and Dirk Nowitzki combined to shoot 8-for-31.
But the Clippers' 13-for-33 showing at the foul line added up to a
90-76 defeat Monday night.
"Our problems came offensively and we didn't make free
throws," first-year Clippers coach Alvin Gentry said. "We played
terrible, but it's not the end of the world."
Gentry kept the dressing room closed for 42 minutes after the
game to talk to his young team.
"We had to turn it up and we didn't," said co-captain Sean
Rooks, one of the team's few veterans. "We're still just trying to
find our identity."
Shawn Bradley scored 22 points -- his first double-figure game
this season -- as the Mavs won their eighth in a row over the
Clippers, and fourth in a row in Los Angeles.
Bradley, who came in averaging 5.6 points and 6.9 rebounds, was
8-for-9 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.
"Bradley was great, and it's about time," Dallas coach Don
Nelson said. "I've been waiting for him. He hasn't made shots very
much this year, so we'll take it whenever it happens."
The Clippers, with two victories in eight games, weren't able to take advantage of a cold shooting night by Finley. Dallas' leading
scorer was 4-for-19 from the field and had just nine points.
"Mike Finley couldn't buy a basket. I don't have a clue why,"
Nelson said. "It's one of the worst offensive games I've seen him
have."
Rookie Quentin Richardson led the Clippers with 19 points, while
Lamar Odom, who had five fouls, added 18 points.
"It became a mind game," Odom said about the missed free
throws. "We came in a little tight because we lost a game we
should've won (in Denver). Right now the little things are the big
things with this team."
Nowitzki, bothered by a left shoulder strain, had 16 points for
Dallas despite playing just six minutes in the first half because
of three fouls.
The Clippers got no closer than 10 points early in the second
half. Moments later, Bradley scored eight consecutive points and
Nowitzki hit four consecutive free throws to give Dallas a 68-49
lead with 4:13 left in the third quarter.
"They tried to play without their big lineup at the beginning
and we kind of got it going a little bit," Nowitzki said. "They
tried it with a small lineup, and Shawn and I had a size advantage
in there, so we tried to use it as well as we could. Shawn really
stepped it up and had a great game."
After going 3-for-22 from 3-point range in its last two games,
Dallas hit six 3-pointers. A long-range basket by Hubert Davis
increased the Mavs' lead to 19 points early in the fourth quarter.
Howard Eisley hit a 3 that made it 88-68 with 6:08 left.
Greg Buckner scored Dallas' final basket with 5½ minutes
remaining, but the Clippers missed three of four free throws and
never threatened as Bradley sat out the final four minutes.
Game notes
The Mavs' victory over San Antonio on
Friday was just the second time in franchise history that they won
while scoring less than 80 points. ... Three men who had unpleasant
tenures in Los Angeles have found jobs with Dallas. Del Harris,
fired as Lakers coach, and Charlie Parker, fired as Southern
California basketball coach, are assistants. Forward Loy Vaught is
a former Clipper.
|
|
NBA Scoreboard
Dallas Clubhouse
LA Clippers Clubhouse
|
