Clippers rally from 17 down late, top Mavs 129
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- J.J. Redick scored a career-high 33 points and the Los Angeles Clippers rallied from 17 points down with 4 1/2 minutes left to beat the Dallas Mavericks 129-127 on Wednesday night.
Matt Barnes added 25 points, Blake Griffin had 23 and Jamal Crawford scored 16, including a pair of free throws that gave the Clippers the lead with 11 seconds to go. They improved to 18-3 at home with their fourth straight win.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 points and Samuel Dalembert added a season-high 20 for the Mavs, whose three-game winning streak ended when they couldn't hold a 123-106 lead. Jose Calderon hit four 3-pointers on his way to 16 points.
Redick's seventh 3-pointer with 34 seconds to go had the Clippers trailing 127-126. Nowitzki's step-back jumper hit the rim and the Clippers called timeout with 20 seconds left.
Crawford got fouled with 11 seconds remaining and made both to give the Clippers a 128-127 lead.
Calderon missed a 3-pointer with 3 seconds to go, and DeAndre Jordan got fouled. After his first free throw hit the right side of the backboard, he made the second for a 129-127 lead.
DeJuan Blair inbounded the ball but his pass was intercepted by Jordan to end the heated and stunning finish.
Griffin uttered expletives at Dalembert after they scrapped for a rebound near the baseline late in the game. One of the referees put both his arms around Griffin's waist and backed him away. Nowitzki was waiting with an earful as Griffin ended up near him. Dalembert was called for a technical. Griffin made the free throw and the Clippers retained possession. Crawford drove the basket and scored to pull them to 125-118.
Down 127-118, Barnes hit a 3-pointer and Nowitzki fouled Crawford on a 3-point attempt. Crawford made two of three free throws, pulling the Clippers to 127-123 with 1:10 to play.
Earlier in the fourth, Vince Carter was hit with a technical, one of four in the game for the Mavs. Griffin picked up one in the third.
The Mavs outscored the Clippers 60-40 in the paint, and outrebounded them 47-38, with both teams shooting at least 50 percent.
Dallas opened the fourth with consecutive 3-pointers by Monta Ellis and Calderon. They keyed a 25-6 run that gave the Mavs a 123-106 lead. The Mavs borrowed a page from the Clippers' high-flying playbook, with Brandan Wright dunking off Carter's alley-oop pass against the Clippers' hapless defense.
The Clippers' 8-0 run gave them a 92-85 lead late in the third. The Mavs closed with a 13-8 spurt to trail 100-98 going into the fourth. Dalembert and Carter had four points apiece and Shawn Marion hit a 3-pointer to give the Mavs the momentum.
Notes: Clippers coach Doc Rivers said the team anticipates signing free agent F Hedo Turkoglu. Rivers expects Turkoglu to join the team for the start of its seven-day, 11-city trip that begins Friday in New York. Turkoglu was cut by Orlando earlier this month. He played just 11 games last season because of injuries and a 20-game suspension for use of performance-enhancing drugs. ... Clippers F Reggie Bullock returned after hurting his left ankle on Dec. 7 at Cleveland. ... Mavs G Devin Harris, who had left foot surgery, isn't expected to play this trip. ... The Clippers' Grammy trip comes a month earlier than usual since the music awards held at Staples Center were moved up to avoid conflicting with the Olympics.
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