Doncic’s 31 leads Mavs past Clips

LOS ANGELES — It took three quarters before Luka Doncic finally went quiet. The damage was already done, although his teammates kept the pressure on in the fourth.

Doncic scored 31 points and the Mavericks outshot the NBA’s leading team from 3-point range, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 113102 on Saturday in Game

1 of the first-round playoff series.

Doncic was held to one point in the fourth on a free throw.

“We won the game,” he said. “That’s all that matters for me.”

Tim Hardaway Jr. added 21 points and Dorian Finney-Smith had 18 for the Mavs, who led most of the game. Doncic and Hardaway Jr. made five 3-pointers each, and Finney-Smith had four to help Dallas shoot 47 percent from long-range.

“I just know they’re going to send two guys at Luka. You’ve just got to be ready to shoot,” Finney-Smith said.

The Clippers gave up 68 points to four other players besides Doncic, including 14 to 7-foot-3 Kristaps Porzingis.

“We’re a strength-in-numbers operation,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. “Luka is a great player and KP is a great player, but as a team we know that everybody has got to be ready and pull their weight when called upon.”

Kawhi Leonard had 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Clippers, and Paul George added 23 points. But they were a combined 3 of 14 on 3-pointers. As a team, the Clippers were 11 for 40 after leading the NBA at 41 percent during the regular season. Marcus Morris missed all six of his attempts.

“Our spirits are still high and we believe in ourselves,” Leonard said. “Nothing good comes easy.”

Game 2 is Tuesday night at Staples Center.

“I plan on this team bouncing back,” George said.

The Clippers didn’t make more than three 3-pointers in a quarter until the fourth, when they hit four.