Mavericks Overcome Clippers in Thrilling 114-110 Victory

LOS ANGELES — Cooper Flagg had a season-high 35 points and Klay Thompson scored 17 of his 23 in the fourth quarter to rally the Dallas Mavericks to a 114-110 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night. Thompson hit four 3-pointers in the final period, his last shot putting Dallas ahead for good with 1:51 left.

Thompson shot 6 of 10 from long distance overall as the Mavericks snapped a three-game losing streak. Flagg, playing his 20th career game, went 13 for 22 from the field and also grabbed eight rebounds. The top pick in this year’s NBA draft had previously set a high of 29 points in a 118-115 win over New Orleans on Nov. 21.

Naji Marshall added 18 points and eight boards for Dallas, while Brandon Williams contributed 14 points and seven assists. The Mavericks capitalized on 18 Clippers turnovers, scoring 20 points off those mistakes.

Kawhi Leonard led Los Angeles with 30 points and eight rebounds. James Harden added 29 points, 11 assists, and eight boards for the Clippers, who dropped their fourth consecutive game. John Collins scored 21 points, and Ivica Zubac contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds.

The loss marked Los Angeles’ seventh straight at the Intuit Dome since beating New Orleans 126-124 on Halloween night. Dallas had trailed much of the third quarter before Thompson ignited a 13-2 run with back-to-back 3-pointers, giving the Mavericks an 87-83 advantage early in the fourth.

The teams exchanged leads throughout the final period until Collins’ three-pointer put the Clippers ahead 103-101. Thompson immediately responded with his sixth 3-pointer to regain the lead for Dallas, 104-103. Flagg nailed six free throws in the last 1:20 of the game, sealing the victory.

Flagg had already made 10 baskets and scored 21 points by halftime. His turnaround fadeaway jumper bolstered a 15-2 run that positioned Dallas ahead 33-28 early in the second quarter. However, consecutive shots from Leonard allowed the Clippers to regain control and extend their lead to 47-38 before halftime.

The Mavericks will face the Golden State Warriors on Monday, while the Clippers will meet the Memphis Grizzlies on the same day.