The Los Angeles Clippers stunned the Dallas Mavericks 133-127 in a double-overtime thriller on Friday night at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The Clippers ended their six-game losing streak, while the Mavericks’ rebuild encountered yet another setback.
The Clippers’ turnaround hinged on James Harden, who exploded for a season-high 41 points along with 14 rebounds and 11 assists—marking his 82nd career triple-double. Harden nailed 13 of 25 shots, drained six threes, and scored four of his 10 overtime points in the second extra period.
Supporting Harden, Ivica Zubac delivered a season-best 27 points and grabbed 11 boards, while bench spark Bogdan Bogdanovic poured in 21 points with five threes.
For Dallas, D’Angelo Russell and Naji Marshall each scored 28 points in valiant efforts, with rookie Cooper Flagg adding 16.
The Mavericks battled back late, with Russell leading a 17-6 run in the fourth quarter to force overtime.
Still, Dallas’ miscues proved costly: the team combined for seven turnovers in the final stretch, and their transition defense broke down repeatedly.
The Clippers methodically built a lead—including a 13-point edge in the fourth quarter—and held firm in the second OT when Dallas couldn’t execute in crunch time.
“Can’t believe how resilient Harden is—taking over in OT like that!” — fan comment on X
Social media lit up with praise for Harden’s veteran poise and frustration at the Mavericks’ next-man-up experiment.
One Dallas supporter posted, “Great effort by Flagg & Marshall but too many sloppy plays down the stretch.”
In the Clippers’ locker room, the mood was relief and renewal: the streak ends, but the climb back begins.
The Clippers will head to Boston to face the Boston Celtics on Sunday, riding momentum into hostile territory.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks host the Portland Trail Blazers in their next game, still seeking answers in front-court rotation and consistency in execution.
For Dallas, the loss extends their slide to three straight and raises concern about playoff positioning. The Clippers, having snapped their skid, still face a long season ahead in a tough Western Conference race.
