The L.A. Clippers Hand Dallas Mavericks Lopsided Loss

The Dallas Mavericks suffered a 119-98 defeat at the hands of the L.A. Clippers.

For the Dallas Mavericks, this season was supposed to be one of hope – change even. Instead, they find themselves at 1-8 which is the worst start in team history. Things didn’t look any better Wednesday night as they lost to the L.A. Clippers 119-98.

Dallas came out aggressively, led by Dennis Smith Jr., as they took an early 21-13 lead in the first period. That momentum was short-lived as L.A. used a 19-8 run to take a 32-29 advantage into the second quarter.

The rest of the game was more of the same. Having been down by as much as 24, Dallas was simply outmatched.

Smith Jr. led Dallas with 18 points, two assists and two rebounds. Harrison Barnes came on strong in the second half to finish with 14 points. Dirk Nowitzki was impressive in 21 minutes, scoring 13 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

Albeit a demoralizing loss we all want to forget, here are some key takeaways that may help moving forward:

LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 1: DeAndre Jordan #6 of the LA Clippers dunks the ball against the Dallas Mavericks on November 1, 2017 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Ball Protection Needs Work

Between careless passes and half-hearted attempts to receive said passes, the Clippers had a field day capitalizing off Dallas’ miscues. For most teams, 14 turnovers wouldn’t be a deciding factor. For instance, L.A. had 16 turnovers of their own but they also scored well over 100 points.

It’s bad enough that Dallas (98.2 ppg) struggles to score enough points to keep up with opponents. Giving up precious possessions can’t help in that department.

J.J. Barea Wasn’t Himself

One of a few bright spots for the Mavs this season has been the play of J.J. Barea. The feisty guard came into the matchup as arguably the most consistent source of production for Dallas thus far.

Averaging 13.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in 23.3 minutes per game, Barea has been ‘Mr. Reliable’ … until tonight.

Barea struggled mightily, scoring only two points via free-throws. Well below his season average of 45 percent from the field, he shot 0-for-9 through 18 minutes. If the Mavs have any chance at righting the ship this season, they’ll need Barea to return to his usual self.

Next: The Boston Celtics, Nerlens Noel & the DPE

Dallas returns to action Friday as they host the New Orleans Pelicans, led by the dynamic duo of Demarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis. Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. As bad as things are, the season is still young and a lot can happen to move the needle for Dallas.

As always, Go Mavs!

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