National Basketball Association

Donovan Mitchell is torching Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers – just like Luka Doncic did

Published Jun. 11, 2021 2:07 p.m. ET

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When the LA Clippers landed both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George prior to last season, it wasn't written in stone that they would cruise to an NBA championship. 

But what was written in stone is that defensively, the Clippers would be a juggernaut. 

Turns out, even stone can be altered. 

After Thursday night's Game 2 loss to the Utah Jazz, the Clippers are in an 0-2 hole in the Western Conference semifinals. And for the second consecutive game, Jazz superstar Donovan Mitchell absolutely torched LA. 

But in reality, dating back to the first round, Thursday was the eighth time LA has been set ablaze in nine games this postseason, considering Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic had his way with the Clippers a little over a week ago. 

Both Mitchell and Doncic have ascended into superstardom at the Clippers' expense. Doncic scored 250 points in seven games against LA in the first round, an average of 35.7 points per game. 

He scored 44 in Game 3. He scored 42 in Game 5. He scored 46 in Game 7.

For the series, Doncic also tacked on 10.3 assists and 7.9 rebounds per game. He has made it to the playoffs twice in his young career, and even though his two first-round exits came at the hands of LAC, Doncic is averaging 33.5 points, 9.5 assists and 8.8 rebounds in the postseason for his career. 

But that was the past – now, it's Mitchell's time to shine against Kawhi & Co.

One might think it impossible for another player, in a different series, to have as much success against the Clippers as Doncic had, but one would be wrong. 

In Game 1 of the West semis, Mitchell picked up where Doncic left off, dropping a cool 45 points on LAC in a 112-109 win for Utah.

It was Mitchell's fourth 40-plus-point performance in 29 playoff games, and his first against the Clippers – in his first playoff matchup with the Clippers. 

If you thought Mitchell's near-50 in Game 1 was nasty, things looked like they were poised to get disgusting come Game 2. 

Mitchell scored 14 points in the first quarter, including eight of the first 10 for Utah. In the second quarter, he scored another 13, entering the half with 60% of the points that he scored in Game 1 (27, to be clear).

Mitchell only scored 10 points in the second half, ending with just 37 on the night, but for the second straight game, he shot over 50% from the field and connected on six 3-pointers. 

In short, the Clippers find themselves in another 0-2 hole with a superstar guard breathing down their throat, seemingly scoring at will. 

Can the Clippers come back – again? While the other team seemingly has the best player on the floor?

Skip Bayless – admittingly rooting for the Clippers – sees signs of life, even though he was a disgruntled fan as of Friday morning on "Undisputed."

"My Clippers are simply the most frustrating team in playoff games I have ever attempted to watch. It got so bad for me last night, I couldn't watch my TV anymore. … The Clippers just have to do it the hardest way. But I'm not discouraged by what I saw because I saw a Clippers team that was in it in both games. I saw a Clippers team that for long stretches showed me they're superior to the Utah Jazz."

Truth be told, LA has indeed been in both Games 1 and 2.

After trailing by 13 at halftime of Game 1, the Clippers clawed back and tied the game at 79 going into the fourth quarter, and had a chance to tie in the final moments of the game, trailing by 3 with 15 seconds to go and possession. 

On Thursday, LA trailed by as many as 21 in the third quarter, but once again got to clawing – Klawing? – and cut the deficit to four in the same quarter. 

And at the 6:37 mark of the fourth quarter, LA took a 101-99 lead on a Reggie Jackson 3-pointer. It just proved too little, too late, as Utah went on an 18-10 run to close the game and take a 2-0 series lead, with a blazing hot Mitchell in tow.

Mitchell scored seven points in the fourth. George scored 10. Leonard scored two. 

For the series, Leonard and George have scored a combined 91 points. Mitchell has scored 82.

"Now the question becomes, is Donovan Mitchell the most talented player in this series?" said Colin Cowherd on Friday's "The Herd." 

"That's the key – they have got to slow down Donovan Mitchell."

But can they?

Nick Wright is doubtful, considering the Clippers are asking a lot of their superstar in Leonard.

At times in the Dallas series, Leonard stuck Doncic and held him in relative check, but he was not the primary defender on Doncic for a majority of the series, and the same seems to be the case against Utah – Leonard will sometimes be matched up with Mitchell, but he is not the primary defender on Utah's superstar. 

And even if he were, Brandon Marshall doesn't think there is any stopping Mitchell, just based on his postseason track record. 

"This is two playoffs where he's just completely taken over games. Let's respect that man and give him his flowers."

The numbers say he's not wrong.

Game 3 is set for Saturday in LA, but that might not necessarily be a good thing for the Clippers, considering they are 1-3 at home so far this postseason. 

Meanwhile, the Jazz are riding a six-game playoff win streak with Mitchel in the lineup, after he missed Game 1 against Memphis in the first round. 

In other words, expect a movie – starring Mitchell and maybe Leonard – in Hollywood this weekend. 

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National Basketball Association

LA Clippers

Utah Jazz

Donovan Mitchell

Kawhi Leonard

Paul George