Darius Garland scored a season-high 41 points and Kawhi Leonard added 34, including a tying basket late in regulation, as the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 138-131 in overtime Saturday night at American Airlines Center.
The victory snapped a four-game skid for Los Angeles and lifted the club to 35-36, tying the Portland Trail Blazers for eighth place in the Western Conference as both teams remain in the play-in tournament race.
Garland controlled the Clippers’ offense from the opening tip, finishing 15-of-24 from the field while hitting a season-high eight 3-pointers and distributing 11 assists.
The guard repeatedly attacked Dallas’ defensive coverages in pick-and-roll sets, creating scoring opportunities both for himself and teammates along the perimeter.
Leonard provided the late-game stability that the Clippers needed after the Mavericks briefly seized control in the final minute of regulation.
Dallas moved ahead 122-120 when Naji Marshall recorded a steal and assisted P.J. Washington on a transition dunk with less than 30 seconds remaining.
Los Angeles responded after a timeout, with Leonard scoring on a mid-range shot to tie the game with 19 seconds left.
Rookie Cooper Flagg missed a jumper on the Mavericks’ final possession of regulation, and Washington’s follow-up jumper came just after the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
The Clippers took command in the extra period through perimeter shooting and ball movement.
Derrick Jones Jr. knocked down two 3-pointers in overtime and finished with 15 points while also adding six rebounds and five assists.
Garland delivered the decisive moment when he drilled another 3-pointer after a Jones triple to give Los Angeles a 125-124 lead, shifting momentum permanently toward the visitors.
Leonard followed with a basket in the lane before Jones connected again from beyond the arc, pushing the Clippers’ lead to nine and creating separation in the closing minutes.
Los Angeles shot 57% from the field and converted 21-of-42 attempts from three-point range while producing 33 assists on 51 made baskets.
Brook Lopez added 10 points and nine rebounds, while John Collins contributed eight points and three rebounds in the starting lineup.
Dallas received strong offensive production from several players but could not match the Clippers’ efficiency in overtime.
Marshall led the Mavericks with 28 points on 11-of-23 shooting, attacking the rim throughout the game.
Washington added 21 points and six rebounds, and Flagg finished with 18 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists while also matching his season high with four blocked shots.
The loss extended Dallas’ home losing streak to 11 games, the franchise’s longest stretch at American Airlines Center and the longest home skid in 32 years.
The Clippers return home Monday to host the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Mavericks continue their homestand against the Golden State Warriors.
