Serge Ibaka is expected to miss Game 4 against the Dallas Mavericks due to a back injury, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Ibaka also missed Game 3 due to a sore back. 

The Clippers are down 2-1 in the series. 

The Los Angeles Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks 118-108 in Game 3, cutting the series lead to 2-1.

Paul George, who finished with 29 points and seven rebounds, kept perspective following the win.

"We're down 2-1. We haven't shown anything," said George. "We're not the favorites [to win it all]. We're not the defending champs. We haven't shown anything.

"We have to continue to keep doing it. We've got to win this series, but it's one game at a time. We've got to win Game 4 and send it back to L.A. Take home-court advantage. But off one win, we haven't shown anything."

Kawhi Leonard added 36 points on 13-of-17 shooting. 

The Clippers also made an adjustment by inserting Reggie Jackson into the starting lineup in place of Patrick Beverley.

Rajon Rondo agreed with George, saying that the Clippers haven't accomplished anything yet.

"Champions respond. We can't crown ourselves too early, but understand to have that mindset that when things get wrong, we got to fight, and tonight we stuck to the fight, down 19. I think that's one of the biggest obstacles in the playoffs. We haven't done anything special though. We won one game, and we'll watch the film tomorrow and see how we can come out better on Sunday and hopefully have the same type of outcome."

Ty Lue said that he was "excited" to see how the Los Angeles Clippers, down 2-0 against the Dallas Mavericks, respond in Game 3 on Friday. 

"I think when you're down 2-0 and you're coming into another team's arena, it shows what you're made of. Our toughness all year, just trust, sticking together, this is going to show us tomorrow who we are and what we are made of. So I'm excited to see [it]," said Lue.

Lue said that the Clippers weren't panicked down 2-0, but needed to play with more urgency.

"Urgency is the right word. Pressure or panic, I don't believe in that. ... [The Clippers have to] understand the urgency and understand what we are trying to do and basically everybody get on the same page," said Lue. 

Lue also added that Serge Ibaka will be a game-time decision due to back spasms.

The Los Angeles Clippers blew a 3-1 lead in the second round of last year's playoffs to the Denver Nuggets, and face a different challenge this year in trailing the Dallas Mavericks 0-2 after losing the first two games at home.

Paul George was asked if there is any concern with the Clippers' current predicament.

"There is none," George said. "We got to rise to the occasion. Fact of the matter is if we don't, we're done for. There's no level of concern."

Ty Lue agreed with George's sentiment.

"I'm not concerned," said Lue. "They won two games on our home floor and now we got to return the favor."

Ty Lue hinted that the Los Angeles Clippers may switch Kawhi Leonard onto Luka Doncic in Game 2.

“He has to carry a lot of the load offensively, and we have three or four guys that we can put on [Doncic] and mix it up,” Lue said Sunday. “But, I think you’ll get what you’re asking for come Tuesday.”

Doncic was most often defended by Nicolas Batum. When Leonard defended Doncic, he didn't attempt a field goal or a free throw.

Lue said the bigger issue for the Clippers was their communication on defense.

“I’m too embarrassed to say what the number was with points we gave up on our miscommunication and not following the game plan,” he said.

The Dallas Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Clippers 113-103 in Game 1 at the Staples Center.

Luka Doncic finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in the game, marking his third triple-double in seven playoff games.

"This is his time of year. He's one of the smartest basketball players you will ever meet at any age at any level," said Rick Carlisle after the game.

Doncic averaged 1.43 points per play on pick and rolls where he was the main ballhandler and Ivica Zubac guarding the screener. Doncic scored 15 points with Zubac the closest defender, according to ESPN.

Doncic said his play was a matter of reading the defense.

"When they don't double, attack it. When they double, there's someone who's going to be open. I've just got to read the game," said Doncic.

Dorian Finney-Smith also talked about the importance of recognizing the double-teams.

"When Luka gets going, I just try to stay ready, because I know they're about to start trapping," said Finney-Smith, who scored 18 points. "That's when he gets to finding people, slinging the ball across the court, finding guys when we're open. I just know they're going to send two guys at Luka. You've just got to be ready to shoot."

Paul George said he felt a "big difference" between last year's bubble and this season from a "headspace standpoint" going into the playoffs.

"Well I think this year it's been easier because I have outlets ... I can spend time with my family, I can interact with other people outside of this team. And so that alone has just been a big difference to be back to some normalcy.

"It's a big difference from the bubble life to where I'm at now from a headspace standpoint," said George on Thursday.

George added that his performance in last year's bubble also motivated him to come back stronger this season. George is averaging 23.3 points and 6.6 rebounds on the year.

Marcus Morris also noted the difference in energy between the last two years. 

"Whole different team, different coaching staff. Energy's a lot better. The camaraderie's a lot better. Everybody wants to be here. Everybody is playing their role the right way and we all have one goal and we are all committed to it."

Kawhi Leonard enters his second playoffs with the Los Angeles Clippers with confidence.

"It's just about between the ears now," Leonard said when asked about the feeling among the Clippers' core entering this postseason compared to last year. "How much are we willing to sacrifice to get a win? How much of our mind and body are we going to put into this playoffs? That's where I'm at. I am confident in this unit."

The Clippers will once again play the Dallas Mavericks in the first round.

"Last year was last year," Tyronn Lue said. "We have a different team, we have a different formula, we've done things differently. Our team is healthy. We have made some changes. So we are a totally different team. That doesn't necessarily mean we are going to win a championship because of that, but we are in a different place."

Ty Lue said he doesn't "give a damn" if anyone thinks the Los Angeles Clippers purposely tanked the final two games of the regular season to drop to the fourth seed to try to avoid possibly playing the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.

The Clippers dropped from third to fourth as they rested Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in losses to the Houston Rockets and Oklahoma City Thunder.

"I don't give a damn what anybody else thinks on the outside," Lue said Tuesday when asked about the criticism. "We decided to go health over anything else. We finally got our team healthy, and that is what we focused on."

Lue later added: "Whatever people say on the outside, I don't care. I don't read Twitter, have Twitter and Insta-twit, all that. I don't care about all that. I am my own man and I do what I want to do, that's how I live my life."

Kawhi Leonard admitted that he was fighting through issues with his left hand following the Los Angeles Clippers' 106-100 loss to the New York Knicks on Sunday.

Leonard fell on his hand his hand against the Lakers on Thursday.

"Being 70-whatever games we're in right now, you're gonna have nicks and bruises. Just gotta keep fighting through it. You know, put up shots, gotta get used to it and I'm not gonna be worried about it. Just gotta keep going, pretty much," said Leonard on Sunday.

Leonard added that while his ankle felt fine, his hand issue is causing him frustration.

"No, ankle's good, it's just more of me falling on my hand at that point. [Happened] second, third play of the game, it's frustrating. But other than that, I'm good, I'm good. I've been through worse situations."