Kawhi Leonard scored 34 points, including six 3-pointers, to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 116-103 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at the Intuit Dome on Tuesday night.
Darius Garland added 22 points, Derrick Jones Jr. recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Brook Lopez grabbed 11 boards as the Clippers secured their first win in three attempts against Dallas this season.
Rookie Cooper Flagg led the Mavericks with 25 points and nine rebounds, while Marvin Bagley III contributed 21 points and nine boards off the bench. Max Christie was perfect from the free-throw line, making all 10 attempts, as Dallas converted 25 of 26 overall.
The Clippers jumped to a 23-point lead behind a 17-0 opening run, shooting 68% in the first quarter, before Dallas responded with a 21-8 spurt to tie the game at 47. Leonard scored seven of the Clippers’ final 11 points in the third quarter to regain the lead at 89-84.
Leonard has now scored 20 or more points in 55 consecutive games and must play in the final three regular-season contests to reach 65, making him eligible for postseason honors including MVP and All-NBA recognition.
Dallas tied the game in the third quarter and briefly led 80-77 on a Ryan Nembhard basket, but the Clippers’ offense, anchored by Leonard, closed strong in the fourth to maintain control.
The Mavericks shot 35% from the field and 18% from three-point range, struggling to contain Los Angeles’ offense despite a 96% free-throw rate. The Clippers finished with 45% shooting and 38% from beyond the arc, highlighting their scoring efficiency.
Los Angeles will host the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, while Dallas heads to Phoenix to face the Suns in the final back-to-back of the season.
