LOS ANGELES — For most people around the world, Christmas Day came on Dec. 25, when they spent time with family and friends to celebrate at the tail end of what has been a grueling year. For Paul George, Tyronn Lue, and the Los Angeles Clippers, Christmas Day was celebrated on Dec. 26, a day after the team's 121-108 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

With the team playing, and winning, on Christmas Day Friday, head coach Tyronn Lue announced that the team would have Saturday off from practice in order to go home and be with family for the holiday. It showed on Sunday afternoon, when the team was absolutely embarrassed by Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

The Clippers led 2-0 on a jumper for Paul George, but that's the closest they ever got to victory. Within minutes, the Clippers were run out of their own gym, turning a marquee matchup into a show fans should be thankful they weren't allowed to even attend live.

“I take full responsibility,” Paul George said after the loss to the Mavs. “You know, it’s a tough game coming (after) Christmas. I enjoyed my Christmas Day yesterday, today just popped up on me a little too fast. I’ll take full ownership for that, coming out and being prepared to play today. Be a different situation come next game and we will be ready, make sure our group will be ready.”

The Clippers trailed 16-5 midway through the first quarter. Then it turned into a 36-13 deficit after the opening frame. Before everyone knew it, the Mavs had recorded the largest halftime lead in NBA history since the shot clock era began. It was 77-27 at the half.

“It’s not that big of a deal,” George added. “We got our butts kicked today, but you know, it’s one game. Think we will just take what we need to take away from today and go to the next one. We wasn’t ready today, we wasn’t prepared. Not from the game plan but us just being ready to go. And that’s on me. So we will be ready for the next game. It’s not like we lose, we get three Ls by about 50 points in one trip.”

Head coach Tyronn Lue echoed Paul George's sentiments, saying any film watching on this game would be pointless given that the game plan was not followed and the effort was clearly not there.

“I think you throw it away,” Tyronn Lue said. “And get back to what's been working and how we've been working and working on. Tonight our guys didn't have a lot of pop on either end of the floor, and you could see it.

“It's just an exception. It doesn't take away from what we've been doing and what we've been working on, and how we're trying to get better each night, and like I said you know there wasn't a lot of fight, a lot of pop tonight, and, you know, we know we'll have that come next game.”

The Clippers played Sunday afternoon without both Kawhi Leonard (mouth laceration) and Marcus Morris (soreness). While Morris is expected to be out into January, Kawhi Leonard is expected back at some point this week. The Clippers do, however, have a back-to-back set against the Portland Trail Blazers and Minnesota Timberwolves coming up, so it remains to be seen which game, if any, Leonard will suit up for.

The Timberwolves, who will be awaiting the Clippers on Tuesday night, just lost Karl-Anthony Towns for a week or two due to an injured wrist.