Mavericks avenge Thursday loss to Clippers with 15-point win

Field Level Media|published: Sat 21st December, 23:22 2024

NBA: Los Angeles Clippers at Dallas Mavericks

Dec 21, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) shoots over LA Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) during the first quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Quentin Grimes scored a team-high 20 points off the bench, helping guide the Dallas Mavericks to a 113-97 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.

Klay Thompson added 16 points, while Spencer Dinwiddie and Kyrie Irving each chipped in 15 for the Mavericks, who have won nine of their last 11 games and avenged Thursday's 23-point loss to the Clippers. Daniel Gafford scored 13 and Naji Marshall had 12, while Dereck Lively II tallied 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Normal Powell's 28 points paced the Clippers, followed by James Harden and Kevin Porter Jr.'s 19 apiece. Ivica Zubac had 13 points and 15 rebounds for Los Angeles, which had its two-game winning streak snapped.

After Dallas' 14-point halftime lead was reduced to nine, Irving's five straight points extended the Mavericks' edge to 61-47 at the 8:49 mark of the third quarter.

Zubac then scored the game's next seven points, highlighting a 9-0 Clippers' run to pull Los Angeles within five with 6:31 left in the third. From there, Gafford scored six of the Mavericks' next nine points as Dallas pushed its lead to 70-59.

Harden's 3-pointer with 58 seconds remaining cut the Mavericks' lead to 74-66 entering the final quarter.

Porter's layup trimmed Dallas' lead to 81-73 with 10:06 left in the fourth quarter before Grimes' 3-pointer started a 9-2 Mavericks run, forcing a Clippers timeout with 8:30 remaining.

Trailing 100-86, the Clippers battled back with an 8-0 run that was capped by Powell's two free throws at the 4:41 mark. Six points was as close as Los Angeles would get, however, as Dallas iced the win with a game-ending 13-3 run.

After Harden's 3-pointer gave Los Angeles a 20-18 lead with 1:39 left in the opening quarter, Dinwiddie's 3-pointer followed by Marshall's mid-range jumper swung the lead back to Dallas. Harden's floater cut the Mavericks' advantage to 23-22 after the first quarter.

Leading 35-30, a 6-0 Dallas run -- stamped with Gafford's hook shot -- built its first double-digit lead with 4:45 left in the second quarter. After Powell's free throws trimmed the Clippers' deficit to 46-38, Irving and Thompson's consecutive 3-pointers began an 8-2 run to finish the opening half.

Leading 54-40 at halftime, Thompson and Dinwiddie each paced Dallas with 10 first-half points, while Harden led the Clippers with 13.

--Field Level Media