Clippers Beat Dallas in Overtime, 126-122

Forward Derek Smith scored a game-high 33 points and pulled down a critical rebound with 17 seconds left in overtime as the Clippers surprised the Dallas Mavericks, 126-122, Friday night.

With Los Angeles leading, 122-120, Smith rebounded his own missed shot. After a timeout, the Clippers’ Michael Cage was intentionally fouled and hit a pair of free throws with 16 seconds left to seal the win.

Baskets by Dallas’ Sam Perkins and Cage completed the scoring.

The win was only the 10th on the road for Los Angeles (29-49). The Clippers were playing without center Bill Walton, who was out with a hip pointer.

Norm Nixon added 28 points for the Clippers, including a pair of free throws that sent the game into overtime at 114-114. He missed a 23-footer as time expired in regulation.

Mark Aguirre scored 32 points for Dallas (42-35), which lost a chance to pull within 1 1/2 games of the Houston Rockets for second place in the NBA’s Midwest Division.

The Mavericks’ poor fourth-quarter shooting--they hit only 5 of 21 shots--cost them the 95-87 lead they held going into the final period.

Aguirre gave Dallas its last lead at 118-116 with 3:30 left in overtime. But Los Angeles’ Marques Johnson, Nixon and Cage hit consecutive baskets to put the Clippers ahead, 122-118.

Perkins made a layup to pull Dallas within two points, 122-120, with 1:42 left in overtime, setting up Smith’s shot and rebound.

Dallas led, 63-56, at halftime.