NBA: Clippers overcome Luka Doncic, Mavericks
Reggie Jackson scored 24 points and Terance Mann added a season-high 21 as the visiting Los Angeles Clippers withstood a fourth-quarter barrage by Luka Doncic for a 99-97 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.
Doncic finished with 45 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists after scoring 23 points in the fourth quarter, including 19 straight to end the game.
Doncic scored with eight seconds left to cut the Clippers’ lead to 98-97 before Jackson made one of two foul shots with 3.4 seconds left. Los Angeles escaped with the win after Doncic’s shot from 35 feet out missed the mark.
CAPTAIN CLUTCH. 👌
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— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) February 13, 2022
Marcus Morris Sr. scored 20 points and Amir Coffey 11 for the Clippers, who snapped a three-game losing streak and avenged a 112-105 loss to the Mavericks on Thursday.
Clippers center Ivica Zubac tallied 11 points, 10 rebounds and a season-high six assists in a game that featured 14 lead changes.
Jalen Brunson scored 22 points and Reggie Bullock added 17 for the Mavericks, whose four-game winning streak came to an end.
The Clippers led by 10 early in the fourth quarter before Dallas battled back and cut the deficit to 92-89 on Doncic’s 3-pointer with 1:38 remaining.
After Jackson responded with four straight points, Dallas pulled within 97-92 when Doncic scored with 1:07 left.
Los Angeles clearly focused on slowing down Doncic, who scored 28 of his career-high 51 points in the first quarter in Dallas’ victory on Thursday.
The strategy worked early as Doncic was held to nine points on 3-of-9 shooting in the opening quarter. Dallas led 26-23 after the Clippers missed nine of their first 11 attempts from beyond the arc.
Coffey scored nine points in the second quarter for Los Angeles, which carried a 49-48 lead into halftime.
Dallas committed seven turnovers in the third quarter and trailed 70-67 after the Clippers ended the period on a 9-3 run.
Mann grabbed nine rebounds starting in place of Norman Powell (left big toe). Tempers flared between Mann and Doncic in the fourth quarter and double technicals were assessed with 3:30 left.
Dallas played without Spencer Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans, who were acquired from the Washington Wizards for Kristaps Porzingis at Thursday’s trade deadline.