INGLEWOOD — If the Clippers were looking for a way to hide their flaws and overcome their faults for at least one night, they would find the perfect solution. The Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavericks came into Intuit Dome on Saturday missing five key players, including Anthony Davis and Daniel Gafford, and the league’s worst offensive rating, which gave the Clippers hope.
But not even another strong effort by Kawhi Leonard and equally impressive showing by James Harden was enough to pull the Clippers out of their spiral as they lost to the Mavericks 114-110, extending their current skid to four games.
Mavericks’ rookie Cooper Flagg made two free throws with 35 seconds left and Klay Thompson added two more with 19 seconds remaining to push the Mavericks ahead 110-105.
Clippers center Ivica Zubac came up big with a cutting dunk with 10 seconds left but it wasn’t enough. Flagg made a final two free throws and Nija Marshall added two more in between foul shots by Harden to close out the scoring as the Clippers dropped their 13th of their past 14 games.
The Mavericks won despite Leonard’s 30 points, eight rebounds and three assists and Harden’s 29 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists.
The Mavericks won despite making just two 3-pointers in the first half and struggling to find any sort of early rhythm. Dallas (6-15) regrouped after halftime to pull out the unlikely victory.
The Mavericks had closed a seven-point halftime deficit (56-49) with an 8-2 run early in the third quarter and then tied the game at 67 points apiece on a 3-pointer by Max Christie at the 6:39 mark.
Harden scored 10 consecutive points to push the Clippers back to a 77-69 lead that left the Mavericks down but not bothered.
Trailing 81-74, Klay Thompson buried a 3-pointer, followed by free throws by Brandon Williams and two more by Naji Marshall that tied the game at 81 with 48 seconds left in the third. The teams were tied at 83 heading into the final quarter.
The Mavericks didn’t back down and continued to push the Clippers. Thompson’s fourth 3-pointer tied the game at 96-all and after a pair of free throws by Harden, he hit another to give Dallas a 99-98 lead with 4:02 remaining in the game.
The Clippers’ flaws still showed through. They turned the ball over 18 times compared to the Mavericks’ nine, let an early 10-point lead slip away and couldn’t take advantage of Dallas’ poor 3-point shooting (10% in the first half).
“It starts with everybody, and you have to be able to look yourself in the mirror and see what you can bring better to the team and what helps the team,” Lue said.
The Clippers received plenty of help. John Collins scored 21 points and had four rebounds, Zubac added 19 points and 11 rebounds and Kris Dunn had six points.
The Mavericks were led by Flagg’s 35 points, while Thompson added 23.
Getting a victory was crucial, though. The Clippers had lost 12 of their past 13 games and needed a release valve for the pressure that had been mounting.
The Clippers are missing two starters – Bradley Beal, and Derrick Jones Jr., and only recently got Leonard back after he missed 10 consecutive games. Their absences played a greater role in the team’s flailing this season than many realize, Lue said.
“I know we’ve had tough circumstances the last five, six years, but I’ve been able to figure it out,” Lue said. “But this year it’s been tough. I wouldn’t say far as (it being a level of) frustration. I think everyone has injuries in the league, but I think our injuries really hurt us. … it just put us in a funk that we couldn’t get out of.
“So. I’m just really I guess pissed off more than frustrated because it happens every year and it’s just tough to try to continue to keep getting through it.”