Mavs overcome threat of Clippers

After several big recruitments in the off-season, the Los Angeles Clippers have made a swift transition from being a nothing team to a title contending team. The Mavs also made a few additions to counteract the loss of Butler and Chandler, and they are starting to gain momentum after a very slow start.

The Clippers won the tip-off but couldn’t convert on their possession as the Mavs acquired an early 4-0 lead courtesy of a Vince Carter dunk and a trademark fade away from the 7ft German, Dirk Nowitzki. Caron Butler received his 2010-11 championship ring before the game, and he gave the Clippers their first points as he drained a three-pointer with just over a minute gone.

Butler continued to punish the Mavs from downtown, hitting his first three attempts as both teams continued to trade buckets throughout the middle stages of the first quarter. However, Dallas rallied late in the first and took a 27-19 lead into the second quarter, with Brendan Haywood grabbing 10 first quarter points for the home side.

Mo Williams, the 1 time all-star, hit a three on the break to get the scoring underway in the second quarter. The Clippers started very well, as Kenyon Martin threw a dunk down to cut the Mavs’ lead to four. After a slow start to the second, Dallas got on the board through Delonte West, who nailed a 12ft fade away with two minutes gone.

Both offences were hot in the first half of the second quarter, including Brandon Wright, the Mavs youngster, who pulled out a big dunk with five minutes gone leading to a loud response from the crowd. A thrilling quarter with some sublime offensive moves continued as Blake Griffin, a former number one draft pick, showed his talent throwing down an ally-oop with four minutes to go. With a seven point lead, veteran Vince Carter showed great skill and awareness to pull off a spinning dunk and end a great quarter which finished 28 apiece. The two teams went to the locker rooms with the Mavs deservedly leading 55-47 in a thrilling encounter.

The third quarter was a slow starting one for both offences, as it took two minutes for Nowitzki to nail a jumper for the first points of the quarter, with the Mavs retaining the seven/eight point lead. After recovering from the slow start, the Clippers had a very good quarter, recording 29 points including a lovely lay-up from Blake Griffin as they finally took a lead in the game late in the third. The buzzer sounded and the fourth quarter was set up perfectly with the game poised at 74-76 in favour of the Clippers.

Jason Terry came off the bench to score nine points in the game, three of which were made early in the fourth from behind the arc to give the Mavs a two point lead early in the final quarter. The lead kept changing throughout the last frame, but Dallas escaped to a six point lead with just over a minute to play in the game.

A resurgent Clippers team cut the lead to just two with 12 seconds left in the game. After intercepting a long pass from Jason Kidd, the Clippers gained possession of the ball as Caron Butler pulled up in space for a three pointer but couldn’t nail it and the Mavs held out for a very good win.

Dallas made it five in a row to improve to a record of 18-11 with the Clippers slipping to 17-9. The Mavs welcome the Nuggets on Wednesday as they face yet another tough opponent as they look to track down the Spurs, who currently occupy top spot in the Southwest division.