The Los Angeles Clippers capitalized on the absence of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving to secure a dominant 118-95 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night. Norman Powell led the Clippers with 29 points, James Harden added 24 while going 10-for-10 from the free-throw line, and Ivica Zubac contributed a double-double with 21 points and 15 rebounds.
This matchup marked Dallas’ first game of the season without their star guards, who were sidelined with injuries — Doncic due to a left heel contusion and Irving with right shoulder soreness.
Despite a competitive first half that ended with the Clippers holding a slim 50-49 lead, Los Angeles pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring the Mavericks 39-28. The Clippers shot a scorching 69.6% in the period, with Zubac kickstarting a decisive 12-1 run after Dallas trimmed the deficit to five.
The Mavericks struggled offensively, shooting just 40% from the field in the third and a dismal 23.3% (7-of-30) from beyond the arc for the game, marking season lows in both makes and percentage. Klay Thompson stepped up with a team-high 22 points in his first outing as the leading scorer, while Spencer Dinwiddie added 19 points in his first start of the season.
However, Dallas, missing a combined 52.8 points per game from Doncic and Irving, suffered their most lopsided loss of the season, unable to keep pace with Los Angeles’ balanced attack. Let’s provide a grade for every Mavericks player in a frustrating evening for them.
Klay Thompson: B
Stats: 22 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 4 TO, 0 PF, 9-17 FG, 2-9 3PT, 2-2 FT, -2, 30 MIN
Klay Thompson led the Mavericks in scoring with 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting but struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 2-of-9 attempts. While he displayed his usual scoring ability inside the arc, his perimeter shooting was inconsistent, which hindered Dallas’ offensive rhythm. He added three rebounds, three assists, and two steals, showing his defensive presence, but his four turnovers reflected some sloppy ball-handling.
Spencer Dinwiddie: B
Stats: 19 PTS, 3 REB, 7 AST, 3 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 0 PF, 6-16 FG, 0-6 3PT, 7-9 FT, -17, 37 MIN
Starting for the first time this season, Spencer Dinwiddie was a solid contributor with 19 points and a team-high seven assists. His aggressiveness in getting to the free-throw line (7-of-9) was a bright spot, but his 0-of-6 shooting from three highlighted Dallas’ shooting woes. Defensively, he was active with three steals and a block, but his -17 plus/minus indicates his struggles in managing the offense during critical stretches.
Dereck Lively II: B
Stats: 13 PTS, 7 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 3 BLK, 2 TO, 4 PF, 5-5 FG, 0-0 3PT, 3-4 FT, -3, 28 MIN
Dereck Lively II was efficient offensively, scoring 13 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting, while adding seven rebounds and three blocks. His interior presence helped keep Dallas competitive in the first half, but his impact waned as the Clippers’ offense surged in the second half. Foul trouble (four fouls) limited his minutes and effectiveness.
P.J. Washington: B-
Stats: 14 PTS, 9 REB, 0 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO, 3 PF, 5-13 FG, 3-4 3PT, 1-2 FT, -13, 35 MIN
P.J. Washington contributed 14 points and nine rebounds but shot an inefficient 5-of-13 from the field. His three three-pointers on four attempts showcased his ability to stretch the floor, yet his inability to finish inside left points on the table. Defensively, he added a block and two steals, though his overall impact was neutralized by poor shooting.
Quentin Grimes: B-
Stats: 11 PTS, 5 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF, 3-8 FG, 1-4 3PT, 4-5 FT, -22, 28 MIN
Quentin Grimes had an all-around performance with 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists, but his shooting left much to be desired (3-of-8 FG, 1-of-4 3PT). He was aggressive attacking the basket, going 4-of-5 from the line, but defensively struggled to keep up with the Clippers’ backcourt, finishing with a team-worst -22 plus/minus.
Naji Marshall: C+
Stats: 9 PTS, 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 4-12 FG, 1-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, -15, 24 MIN
Naji Marshall contributed nine points and five rebounds but struggled with efficiency, shooting just 4-of-12 from the field. He showed flashes of defensive energy with a steal but failed to make a significant offensive or defensive impact. His inability to connect from deep (1-of-4 3PT) was emblematic of Dallas’ perimeter shooting struggles.
Jazian Gortman: C
Stats: 5 PTS, 1 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 2-6 FG, 0-1 3PT, 1-2 FT, -6, 11 MIN
Jazian Gortman played just 11 minutes, managing five points and two assists. While his playmaking showed promise, his 2-of-6 shooting and minimal defensive impact limited his effectiveness. The flagrant foul committed against him by Kris Dunn highlighted a brief moment of aggression directed toward him on the court.
Daniel Gafford: C
Stats: 2 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF, 0-4 FG, 0-0 3PT, 2-4 FT, -12, 14 MIN
Daniel Gafford had a quiet performance, scoring just two points and grabbing four rebounds in 14 minutes. His 0-of-4 shooting from the field underscored his struggles offensively, and he didn’t make his usual impact defensively, finishing without a block and a -12 plus/minus.
Maxi Kleber: C
Stats: 0 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -6, 13 MIN
Maxi Kleber played 13 minutes but failed to score, taking just one shot and grabbing two rebounds. While he provided defensive spacing and positioning, his lack of offensive involvement and minimal stat line contributed little to Dallas’ efforts.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper: C-
Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 1 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-3 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, -1, 11 MIN
Olivier-Maxence Prosper had a forgettable outing, going scoreless on 0-of-3 shooting in 11 minutes. His lone assist and limited defensive contributions failed to offset his lack of offensive impact, leaving him with a -1 plus/minus.
Markieff Morris: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -6, 3 MIN
Markieff Morris played just three minutes, logging no points, rebounds, or assists. His minimal court time prevented him from making any tangible impact on the game.
Kessler Edwards: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, -6, 3 MIN
Kessler Edwards played three minutes, recording one rebound but missing his only shot attempt. His short stint on the court wasn’t enough to influence the game’s outcome.
Dwight Powell: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -6, 3 MIN
Dwight Powell also saw three minutes of action without registering any meaningful stats. His presence was too brief to assess his impact.
