Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks has become one of the premier rivalries in the NBA. Every time the two teams face off against one another, the intensity is always high, and the atmosphere is almost like a playoff match.
It was a similar case in yesterday’s battle between the Clippers and the Mavericks. The game went to overtime, where Luka Doncic helped the Mavs clinch a victory over their rivals. Luka recorded 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists while playing 41 minutes.
Following the victory, the Mavs have now improved their record to 10-7, while the Clippers have dropped to a record of 10-8. Upon losing the game, Clippers forward Marcus Morris attended the post-game conference, where he was asked about his thoughts on losing to the Mavs.
“You beat somebody enough, it leave a bad taste in their mouth. Now they want to play against you a lot, so it is what it is… We beat them all the time so until they get a win. I mean it’s really on our side so they gotta do what they’re supposed to do and kudos to their team and I like their team. They’re playing well, they’re sticking together, they had the same players for a few years and it’s always fun having them battles. I think over the years it’s kind of dumbed down a little bit.”
He further said, “I know the refs are on my a**. I can’t even talk to Luka, I can’t even breathe on him. So you know that kind of like makes it a little bit, in our words, corny. But it’s still a competition.”
Marcus Morris: "The refs are on my ass. I can't even talk to Luka, I can't even breathe on him."
Then adds on the rivalry:
"We beat them all the time so until they get a win, it's really on our side. But kudos to their team. I like their team. They're playing well." pic.twitter.com/jZXvvIK0OQ
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) November 24, 2021
It’s always great to see rivalries budding in the NBA. These rivalries make the game even more interesting for NBA fans.
As for Morris’ comments about the refs being too cautious when he is defending Luka, there is a reason for it. The two got into a heated scuffle during the 2020 NBA playoffs. Morris was scorched by fans for a dirty play on Doncic.
Additionally, instead of apologizing for his act, Morris simply called out Luka. So there is no doubt that there is some bad blood between the two players and the teams as well. Maybe we will get to see more of that in this year’s playoffs? We will find out when the regular season is over.