Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Jamal Crawford sunk a pair of free throws with 11.2 seconds left to lead the Los Angeles Clippers to a 129-127 comeback win over the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center.
The Clippers trailed 123-106 with 4:49 remaining. After Blake Griffin knocked down a pair of free throws, Crawford nailed a 3-pointer to cut the deficit to 12 moments later.
Griffin's free throw from a Flagrant 1 foul shaved the LA deficit to single digits and Matt Barnes nailed a 3-pointer with 1:41 to play to make it 127-121.
After another empty possession from the Mavericks, Crawford was fouled while attempting a 3 from the wing and went 2-for-3 from the stripe to make it a four-point game.
Monta Ellis bricked a jumper and J.J. Redick nailed a trey at the other end to make it 127-126 with just 34 seconds remaining.
Dirk Nowitzki missed a jumper with 21.9 seconds remaining and Crawford was fouled on the other end with 11.2 seconds left.
After knocking down the go-ahead free throws, Dallas inbounded to Jose Calderon, who passed it to Nowitzki near the foul line. Nowitzki drew a double team, leaving Calderon wide open for a 3, but Calderon couldn't get it to fall. DeAndre Jordan grabbed the miss and was fouled with 3.1 ticks showing.
Jordan missed the first free throw, but got the second to fall to make it 129-127 and DeJuan Blair's pass on the ensuing inbounds pass was picked off by Jordan to seal the win.
"We made some really bad mental mistakes and they took advantage of them. We couldn't get stops down the stretch or play defense and that is the reason we lost," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said.
Redick finished with a career-high 33 points, 23 of which came in the first half, and Barnes added 25 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Griffin scored 23 points after going 13-for-16 from the free throw line and Crawford added 16 for the Clippers, winners in four straight.
"What a defensive struggle, 129-127. It wasn't the game we planned, but it was the game we won," said Clippers coach Doc Rivers. "I can't explain the game, we had J.J. on Dirk and it worked. We got stops, we switched everything and it worked."
Nowitzki led Dallas with 27 points, Samuel Dalembert scored 20 and Calderon finished with 16.
The Mavs had a three-game winning streak snapped.
The Mavs led 32-30 after the first quarter, but LA took a 72-62 lead into the break. Dallas outscored the Clippers 36-28 in the third to go into the final frame trailing 100-98.
Game Notes
Redick was 7-for-9 from 3-point range and the Clippers finished 17-for-34 from beyond the arc overall ... Darren Collison had 13 points and 10 assists in the win ... The Mavs outscored the Clippers 60-40 in the paint ... Ellis had 13 points and 13 assists in the setback.
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