Clippers to face Mavericks at Intuit Dome’s inaugural preseason game
INGLEWOOD, Calif. - After much anticipation, the Los Angeles Clippers will play their first-ever preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night at the brand-new, state-of-the-art Intuit Dome in Inglewood.
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From being able to purchase merchandise at The Flagship store to enjoying the arena’s food menu, fans will finally get to experience everything that comes with the Clips having a home of their own.
The $2 billion Intuit Dome is Steve Ballmer’s love letter to Clipper fans, and it’s even inscribed outside the arena’s main entrance with his message that reads, "From one super fan to another."
The evening marks Los Angeles' fourth preseason game, with previous contests in Honolulu, Seattle, and the franchise's new G League facility in Oceanside. So far, the Clippers have a 2-1 preseason record.
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With 35-year-old James Harden at the helm, the new-look Clippers added youth and athleticism to their roster following Paul George's exit. Some new names on the roster include Derrick Jones Jr., Kai Jones, Kris Dunn and Kevin Porter Jr. Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard has yet to take the floor as he continues to monitor inflammation in his right knee. It's the same injury that kept him sidelined during the final games of the 2023-24 regular season and the majority of the 2024 postseason.
"He wants to participate in everything in training camp, but we’re going to hold him back from drill work and really focus on strengthening because the goal is to get him to 100%, so he can have a great season, not just this year, but for many years," Lawrence Frank, Clippers President of Basketball Operations, explained in late September.
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On Media Day, Leonard admitted this is likely something he'll have to deal with for the rest of his career and that his goal was to be ready for Opening Night on Oct. 23.
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While Leonard’s availability remains a mystery, Tyronn Lue and the rest of the Clippers coaching staff, including Jeff Van Gundy, have been tasked with figuring out how to get things going on the offensive end.
Earlier this month, Leonard told The Athletic's Law Murray none of his new teammates have stood out to him so far. However, Kai Jones has been putting on a show, even hitting the game-winner in Seattle, and Jordan Miller continues to show promise after dominating in the Summer League.
"Kai Jones super lively in drop coverage. Jordan Miller looking active. Not impressed by anyone else," NBA superfan and historian Dime Dropper wrote on X.
The Western Conference remains stacked, and the Clippers said they're prepared to shock those who continue to doubt them.
"We are all competitors and we're ready to go. And, you know, we see this stuff, so we're hungry. And that's a scary team. When everyone's hungry like that, you know, a lot of [us] want to prove people wrong," Clippers fan-favorite Terance Mann said on Media Day.
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The Clippers and Mavericks have become rivals in recent years due to their heated postseason battles. After beating Dallas in the 2020 and 2021 playoffs, Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, and crew eliminated the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs last season. The Mavs advanced to the NBA Finals before ultimately losing a five-game series against the Boston Celtics.
Monday night also marks Derrick Jones Jr.'s first game against his former team.
Tip-off is scheduled at 7:30 p.m.