LOS ANGELES – Going into Game 1 of their best-of-seven first-round Western Conference playoff series, the Dallas Mavericks knew they would be in for a tussle dealing with Los Angeles Clippers’ future Hall of Fame players Paul George, James Harden and Russell Westbrook. Those accolades also go to Kawhi Leonard — if he ever plays in this series.
What the Mavs didn’t anticipate is that Clippers center Ivica Zubac would play Game 1 like he too deserves some Hall of Fame mention.
OK, maybe the breaks should be pumped a bit when mentioning Zubac and hall of famers in the same sentence.