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SPORTS Thursday 28 November 2019
Clippers ease past Mavs 114-99

in matchup of 5-win streaks

By SCHUYLER DIXON the Mavericks under 100 had all four of his 3-point-
AP Sports Writer points for the first time this ers in the first quarter. "We
DALLAS (AP) — Paul season. pride ourselves on defense.
George and Kawhi Leon- "They're looking to win a Offensively, we've got guys
ard gave the young Euro- championship; they played that can score the ball, but
pean duo from the Dallas like it was a playoff game," we want to make it tough
Mavericks the best look yet said Porzingis, who hit a on a nightly basis on who-
at life among the elite in 28-footer 22 seconds into ever we're playing."
the Western Conference. the game and another The Mavericks had taken
George scored 17 of his 26 3-pointer from the logo at the Southwest Division
points in the first quarter, center court just before lead with a win at Hous-
Leonard finished with 28 halftime but finished 3 of 8 ton for their fifth straight
and the Los Angeles Clip- from long range. He had 15 victory, and weren't too
pers took control early in points and 10 rebounds. far removed from a loss to
a meeting of teams with "They played aggressively LeBron James and the Lak-
matching five-game win- and they showed us that ers that required a buzzer-
ning streaks, beating the we have to learn how to beating 3 to force overtime
Mavericks 114-99 on Tues- play these games. We in Dallas.
day night. have to bring that same in- But the other expected title
The Clippers used several tensity." contenders from LA offered
defenders to end Luka Patrick Beverley got in foul a dose of reality for a team
Doncic's franchise-record trouble as one of the de- looking to end a three-sea-
streak of four games with fenders assigned to Don- son run without reaching
at least 30 points and 10 as- cic, who had to settle for the playoffs.
sists, knocking the 20-year- doing most of his damage Dallas was trailing by three
old phenom to the floor on free throws, making 14 when Doncic joined the
early on a 4-of-14 shoot- of 16. rest of the starters on the
ing night. Doncic had 22 Beverley getting his fourth bench in the final minute
points, eight rebounds and foul early in the second half of the first quarter. By the Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) and Seth Curry (30)
defend against a shot by Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi
six assists. just brought back Lou Wil- time those five came back Leonard (2) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in
Kristaps Porzingis was 4 of liams sooner. The high-scor- together in the second, the Dallas, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019.
13, the 7-foot-3 Latvian ing reserve finished with 21 Los Angeles lead was 48-32.
combining with the Rookie points, going 4 of 7 on 3s The LA bench scored 16 fourth on that list, scored ericks coach Rick Carlisle
of the Year from Slovenia while Doncic missed all sev- of the 20 points during the 37 bench points, most with said. "They pick you up full
to go 8 of 27 compared en of his deep tries against run, with Leonard getting the outcome no longer in court and they hound you.
to 19 of 42 for the LA stars. the LA defense. the other four. The NBA's doubt. This is a game we've got to
George added a career- "That's who we are as a highest-scoring bench fin- "They're big, they're strong, learn from and do better
high six steals to help hold team," said George, who ished with 44 points. Dallas, they're highly skilled," Mav- next time."q
76ers' Brett Brown to coach Australia at Tokyo Olympics

MELBOURNE, Australia San Antonio's Patty Mills.
(AP) — Philadelphia 76ers Brown coached the Austra-
coach Brett Brown will lian team from 2009 to 2012
guide the Australian men's and was an assistant from
team at next year's Tokyo 1995 to 2003, including the
Olympics. 1996 and 2000 Olympics.
Basketball Australia said "We're going to the 2020
Wednesday he will suc- Olympics to win a gold
ceed Andrej Lemanis, who medal," Brown said in a Bas-
coached the Boomers to ketball Australia statement.
the semifinals at the 2016 "This is our mission and my
Olympics — the team's message to our team."
best Olympic result — and He said when the opportu-
this year's World Cup. The nity arose to again coach
governing body did not say the Boomers, "I was remind-
how long Brown will coach ed of my deep history with
Australia. Australia and Australian
Australia is one of seven basketball."
men's teams to have al- "I felt a duty to try and help
ready qualified for Tokyo. in any way that I could,"
Its roster could include Phil- he added. "The spirit of the
adelphia star Ben Simmons. country and the athletes of
Australia also has several the country exemplify on a
other NBA players, includ- Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown yells to his team during the first half of an NBA basket- day-to-day basis the pas-
ing Utah's Joe Ingles and ball game against the Miami Heat, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2019, in Philadelphia. sion that is Australian sport
Dante Exum, Cleveland's Associated Press ... I'm very excited to be a
Matthew Dellavedova and part of that again."q