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TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2021 Clippers win to eliminate Doncic and Mavs

LOS ANGELES: fin- the series despite playing with a sore ished with 28 points, 10 rebounds and neck suffered in game four. He added 14 nine assists as the assists and seven rebounds Sunday in his won game seven at home with a 126-111 first game seven in just the second play- win over the Mavericks to punch off series of his young career. The their ticket to the second round of the Mavericks also lost to the Clippers in the NBA playoffs. first round last season. “We gave every- Los Angeles withstood a 46-point thing,” Doncic said. “I’m very proud of performance from Mavericks Luka this team. Obviously I hate losing. We Doncic on Sunday to take the Western hate losing, but I’m proud of my team.” Conference series 4-3, finally cashing in Dorian Finney-Smith had 18 points on home court after the road team had and 10 rebounds and Kristaps Porzingis won each of the first six games. finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds “It’s all about the moment,” Leonard for the Mavericks, who had a chance to said. “You got to be aggressive all night close out the series on Friday in game and don’t try to make the game be per- six but lost 104-97. Doncic scored 29 fect. We never gave up. We wanted to points in the first half on 10-of-14 get better and we did it, especially on shooting from the field, including four the defensive end.” threes. But he managed just six points in scored 23 points and the third quarter. tallied 22 and dished out 10 Los Angeles led 100-85 at the end of assists for the fourth-seeded Clippers in the third, and then extended their lead to front of a pandemic-limited crowd of 19 points with just over nine minutes left 7,300 at Staples arena in down- in the fourth. Dallas cut the led to 114- town Los Angeles. 107 with two minutes to go but Reggie The Clippers advanced to the second Jackson answered with a clutch three round to face the top-seeded pointer and the Clippers closed it out with game one tonight in Salt Lake City. from there. The NBA will crown a new champion At Philadelphia, scored 35 this season after the points and the held off a LOS ANGELES: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers and Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks embrace after the game during were eliminated on Thursday. late rally to beat the 76ers 128-124 in the Round 1, Game 7 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on Sunday at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. — AFP The Clippers are the sixth team in opening game of their second-round NBA history to lose the first two games series. Young, who averaged 29 points a semi-final series with game two at rebounds for Atlanta. Cameroonian cen- Harris had 20 points and 10 rebounds of a series at home and win a series. “It game in the first round of the playoffs, Philadelphia tonight. The series win- ter Joel Embiid started for the Sixers and Australian guard had was a total team win. We wanted this pushed the visitors to a 19-point lead ner will face Milwaukee or Brooklyn after missing the final game of 17 points and 10 assists. “They hit us in moment,” said Clippers coach Tyronn with eight minutes remaining only for to determine a berth in next month’s Philadelphia’s first-round series against the mouth to start the game,” 76ers Lue. “It was a great test for us, making Atlanta to struggle down the stretch and NBA Finals. Washington with a right knee injury. coach Doc Rivers said. “They were the us battle tested going into the second barely hang on for the victory. Bogdan Bogdanovic and John Collins Embiid scored a game-high 39 points more aggressive team. They were the round. That was a great win for us.” The Hawks grabbed a 1-0 lead in each added 21 points for the Hawks while with nine rebounds and four assists while more physical team. They got off to a Doncic continued his superb play in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference Clint Capella added 10 points and 11 added 21 points and Tobias better start.” —AFP