The Dallas Mavericks were able to overcome significant injuries to [beat a careening Clippers squad 114-110](/dallas-mavericks-game-coverage/53263/mavericks-vs-clippers-recap-shorthanded-dallas-114-110-win-at-los-angeles-clippers-cooper-flagg-kawhi-leonard) in Los Angeles. Big performances from Cooper Flagg, Klay Thompson, and Dwight Powell helped to secure this win, which Mavs fans should savor, as the schedule takes a brutal turn in the next few weeks.
The game took a rough turn before it even started, as P.J. Washington suffered an ankle sprain in layup lines, because why not. Davis, Washington, Dereck Lively, and Daniel Gafford all did not play, leading to a frontcourt of Dwight Powell and Moussa Cisse leading the charge. While this should have spelled defeat, these three numbers should help to explain how Dallas overcame the odds against the Clippers.
One night after Cooper Flagg became the youngest player to ever record 10 assists, he decided to up the ante, becoming the second youngest player to ever score 30, trailing just LeBron James. This was an inverse of last night’s game, as Cooper traded passiveness for sheer aggression, leading to positive results. This type of scoring performance is incredibly rare for someone who should be in college, and go’s to show why Cooper was considered a generational prospect.
Winning on the margins is one of the few pathways to winning games with a talent deficit, and the Mavericks demonstrated that tonight. Creating 10 more shots than the opponent makes up for having less shot creation, especially when those shots come off of live ball turnovers, as the Mavericks scored 20 points off of Clipper mistakes. These steals were in large part thanks to Dwight Powell, who notched a career high with six steals. If the Mavericks want any hope of being competitive, they have to replicate this kind of disruption on the defensive end.
The Mavericks would not have had a chance in this game if not for Klay Thompson. The Captain notched 23 total, with 17 being in the fourth quarter. This type of barrage is still very much in his repertoire, and while his all around impact has faded, his shot still remains pure. While Klay’s time in Dallas won’t go on much longer, these types of performances could entice a team to give up real assets for the veteran guard, though that ship may have already sailed.
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