December 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 20 points off the bench to lead 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 had 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 had 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Normal Powell’s 28 points paced the Clippers, followed by James Harden and Kevin Porter Jr. with 19 each. Ivica Zubac had 13 points and 15 rebounds for Los Angeles, which had its two-game winning streak snapped.
After Dallas’ 14-point lead was cut to nine, Irving’s five straight points extended the Mavericks’ lead to 61-47 at the 8:49 mark of the third quarter.
Zubac then scored the game’s next seven points, capping 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 left cut the Mavericks’ lead to 74-66 entering the final quarter.
Porter’s layup cut Dallas’ lead to 81-73 with 10:06 left in the fourth quarter before Grimes’ 3-pointer started a 9-2 Mavericks run, forcing the Clippers to call a timeout with 8:30 to play. remain.
Trailing 100-86, the Clippers fought back with an 8-0 run capped by Powell’s two free throws at 4:41. Six points was as close as Los Angeles would get, however, as Dallas sealed 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 first quarter, Dinwiddie’s 3-pointer followed by Marshall’s mid-range jumper put the lead back in Dallas. Harden’s floater cut the Mavericks’ lead to 23-22 after the first quarter.
Leading 35-30, a 6-0 Dallas run — capped by Gafford’s touchdown — built its first double-digit lead with 4:45 left in the second quarter. After Powell’s free throws cut the Clippers’ deficit to 46-38, back-to-back 3-pointers by Irving and Thompson started an 8-2 run to end the first half.
Leading 54-40 at halftime, Thompson and Dinwiddie each led Dallas with 10 points in the first half, while Harden led the Clippers with 13.
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