Mavericks at Clippers
DeAndre Jordan will be in his familiar Los Angeles Clippers uniform when
he steps on the floor for Thursday's contest against the visiting
Dallas Mavericks. Jordan badly spurned Dallas during the free-agency
period by agreeing to a contract with the Mavericks before the Clippers
made a late push to retain his services.
The on-court interaction between Jordan and the Mavericks will be watched closely after the summer courtship in which Dallas owner Mark Cuban felt badly jilted by the 6-foot-11 center. As the deadline neared, Jordan hid out in his house and refused to return the calls and texts of Cuban and Dallas forward Chandler Parsons while playing video games with some of his Los Angeles teammates. Both teams won their season openers Wednesday — the Clippers notched a 111-104 road victory over the Sacramento Kings and the Mavericks rolled to a 111-95 road win over the Phoenix Suns. Offseason acquisition Zaza Pachulia was Dallas' starting center and had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (1-0): Guard Deron Williams made his club debut and had 12 points and seven assists but played just 20 minutes because he hurt his left knee in the third quarter. Williams, who entered the game with a calf injury, limped off the floor and the club said afterward that there was no structural damage to the knee and that it is possible Williams will play against the Clippers. Point guard Raymond Felton had the most-productive opening game for Dallas with 18 points and six assists in his team debut.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (1-0): Jordan had eight points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots in the opener on a night in which power forward Blake Griffin led the way with 33 points on 14-of-20 shooting and also grabbed eight rebounds. Los Angeles point guard Chris Paul added 18 points and 11 assists as he looks to follow up a season in which he recorded 40 or more double-doubles for the third time in his career. Newcomer Josh Smith only had one points and committed five turnovers in his team debut, but the forward also had six rebounds and four blocked shots in 16 minutes.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Clippers went 2-1 against the Mavericks last season and have won eight of the past 11 meetings.
2. Dallas SG Wesley Matthews had nine points in 26 minutes in his club debut in his first game since tearing his left Achilles' tendon with Portland in March.
3. Los Angeles SF Paul Pierce had 12 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench in his team debut.