Clippers Break Through

No breathless comeback was needed this time.

No fortunate breaks.

No last-second shot.

The Clippers beat the Dallas Mavericks at their own game Saturday night, controlling the tempo, weathering the scoring bursts and ending a six-game road losing streak with a 115-105 victory in American Airlines Center.

It was their second victory in 11 days over the Mavericks. On Dec. 10 at Staples Center, they overcame a 22-point deficit, dodged a bullet when 91% free-throw shooter Steve Nash missed two late foul shots and won when Glen Rice drained a last-second shot from inside the top of the key.

This time, it was the Mavericks who needed a late rally, but after trimming the Clippers’ 18-point lead to 103-99 they couldn’t get any closer.

Though they were playing their second game in a little more than 24 hours after losing Friday night at Houston, the Clippers were more energetic, deeper in reserve strength and, their youth notwithstanding, wiser in their decision making.

“That shows that we’re jelling, we’re improving,” Elton Brand said.

“Every time they made a run, we executed our plays and got a bucket when we needed it. A young team like ours, sometimes we don’t do that, but tonight we did.”

And in so doing the Clippers handed the Mavericks only their second loss in 14 home games, the other coming Dec. 4 against the Lakers.

“It does a lot for our confidence,” Brand said, “because they’ve been playing great at home....

“They’ve beaten a lot of tough teams at home, so that gives us confidence going into games against teams they’ve beaten that we haven’t played yet.”

Also sure to boost their confidence is the play of Brand, who had 22 points, 20 rebounds and six assists and has registered double figures in scoring and rebounding in all eight games he has started since returning from the injured list.

His commanding presence under the basket enabled the Clippers to use a smaller lineup against the smallish Mavericks, “and yet be big,” in the words of Coach Mike Dunleavy, who pulled 7-foot center Chris Kaman after only four minutes.

“I wanted to really bring it tonight,” Brand said.

And he did. With their power forward controlling the inside, the Clippers easily kept pace with the Mavericks, whose coach, Don Nelson, stayed home because of flu, which was probably just as well. His Mavericks were outshot and outrebounded by the Clippers, who matched a season high for points.

“Obviously, it was a great win for us,” Dunleavy said after the Clippers had won for the fifth time in six games overall but the first time on the road since Nov. 14. “They’re a tough team here at home, very efficient....

“But our guys responded very well after a bad game last night.”

Quentin Richardson, getting into the spirit of the Mavericks’ run-and-gun approach, scored 25 points and took 13 rebounds, though he missed 18 of 27 shots. “Really?” Richardson asked afterward. “It didn’t feel like that many.”

Corey Maggette scored 26 points on nine-of-18 shooting and each of the four reserves summoned from the bench by Dunleavy -- Rice, Doug Overton, Chris Wilcox and Bobby Simmons -- made solid contributions.

Overton scored 11 points on five-of-six shooting. Simmons had 12 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Wilcox had eight points and five rebounds in 21 minutes and Rice, in his best all-around game, had nine points and three assists.

“Everybody that came in was really terrific for us,” Dunleavy said. “That’s the only way we can beat a team like this.”

It also didn’t hurt that the Mavericks were again without injured guard Michael Finley, who scored 38 points against the Clippers at Staples Center, or that Dirk Nowitzki seemed to be laboring on tender ankles. The German forward had 23 points and nine rebounds but missed 17 of 23 shots.

Reserve forward Antawn Jamison led the Mavericks with 26 points, making 12 of 17 shots, and Steve Nash had 20 points and 11 assists.