Clippers beat Mavericks 116-103 behind Kawhi Leonard

The LA Clippers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 116-103 on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at Intuit Dome, with Kawhi Leonard leading all scorers with 34 points in a steady all-around performance. Los Angeles built an early cushion, absorbed Dallas rallies through the middle quarters, and took control again in the fourth to secure the home win.

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

First Quarter

The Clippers set the tone immediately, outscoring Dallas 39-26 in the opening period. Los Angeles found quality looks early and moved into rhythm offensively, while the Mavericks had trouble matching that efficiency. That 13-point margin gave the Clippers the kind of start that shaped the rest of the night.

Second Quarter

Dallas responded well in the second, taking the quarter 29-26. The Mavericks tightened things up offensively and got enough half-court production to chip away at the deficit. Even so, the Clippers carried a 65-55 lead into halftime after doing most of their early work in the first quarter.

Third Quarter

The Mavericks continued their push after halftime and again won the quarter 29-24. Dallas cut into the margin with better shot volume and consistent free-throw production, trimming the Clippers’ lead to 89-84 entering the fourth. At that stage, the game had shifted from a comfortable Clippers lead to a competitive finish.

Fourth Quarter

That finish belonged to Los Angeles. The Clippers outscored Dallas 27-19 in the final period, defending more effectively and doing enough on the glass to limit second chances. While the Mavericks struggled to convert from three-point range all night, the Clippers executed more cleanly late and extended the margin back to double digits.

Key Performers

Kawhi Leonard was the top performer in the game, finishing with 34 points for the Clippers. He set the scoring pace for Los Angeles and helped stabilize the offense whenever Dallas threatened to close the gap.

Brook Lopez led the Clippers with 11 rebounds, helping Los Angeles post a 56-54 edge on the glass. The Clippers also got 23 assists as a team, with Darius Garland leading them with four assists.

For Dallas, Cooper Flagg paced the team with 25 points and nine rebounds, continuing to be a major part of the Mavericks’ offense. Marvin Bagley III added 21 points and nine rebounds, while Ryan Nembhard handed out seven assists.

NerdSports Stat: Dallas attempted eight more field goals and made seven more free throws than the Clippers, but still lost by 13 because Los Angeles made eight more three-pointers.

Game Analysis

This game largely came down to shot quality and perimeter efficiency. The Clippers shot 44.6% from the field and 37.8% from three, compared with 35.0% overall shooting and 18.2% from deep for Dallas. That difference was decisive, especially because the Mavericks actually generated more shot attempts, finishing with 100 field-goal attempts to the Clippers’ 92.

Dallas stayed in the game by getting to the line and converting there at an excellent rate, making 27 of 28 free throws. But the Mavericks could not pair that with enough outside shooting. Their six made threes left little margin for error, particularly against a Clippers team that knocked down 14 from long range.

Los Angeles also handled the key momentum swings well. After watching a 13-point first-quarter lead get cut to five by the end of the third, the Clippers answered with a composed final period. They did not need a dramatic closing stretch; they simply executed more consistently, defended the arc, and turned their early advantage into a complete result.

Closing Context

The win moved the Clippers to 41-38, an important late-season result as they continue to push for Western Conference positioning. Dallas dropped to 25-54 and fell to 10-29 on the road. With the regular season nearly complete, Los Angeles will view this as a needed home win built on a strong start, while the Mavericks will look at the third-quarter rally as a positive stretch that ultimately needed more shooting support.

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