The Clippers vs Mavericks match stats, April 7, 2026, tell a wild story. The LA Clippers jumped out to a 23-point lead. Then they lost it. Then they almost lost the whole game. Then Kawhi Leonard said, “Nah.”
The final score read Clippers vs Mavericks, final score April 7: 116-103. But that number lies a little. This game was way closer than 13 points.
Kawhi Leonard dropped 34 points. He hit six 3-pointers. He played through wrist discomfort. And when his team started falling apart, he put them on his back. The Clippers vs Mavericks box score 2026 shows a tale of two halves. One team shot lights out. The other couldn’t buy a bucket from deep. Let’s crack this thing open.
[ NBA.com Official Box Score: Mavericks vs Clippers April 7, 2026 | [ESPN Game Recap: Clippers 116-103 Mavericks]
| Final Score & Quarter Breakdown | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | FINAL |
| 🏆 Los Angeles Clippers WIN | 39 | 26 | 24 | 27 | 116 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 26 | 29 | 29 | 19 | 103 |
| Team Stats Comparison | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | REB | AST | TOV |
| LA Clippers | 41 | 92 | 44.6% | 14 | 37 | 37.8% | 20 | 22 | 42 | 23 | 14 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 35 | 100 | 35.0% | 6 | 33 | 18.2% | 27 | 28 | 34 | 13 | 8 |
| LA Clippers – Player Statistics | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | MIN | FG | FGA | 3P | 3PA | FT | FTA | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS |
| Kawhi Leonard | 30:12 | 11 | 19 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 34 |
| Darius Garland | 33:45 | 8 | 17 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 22 |
| Derrick Jones Jr. | 28:10 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 11 |
| Brook Lopez | 27:30 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| Kris Dunn | 21:22 | 8 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 23 |
| John Collins | 18:28 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| Bennedict Mathurin | 17:53 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| Jordan Miller | 11:09 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Kobe Sanders | 09:58 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| TEAM TOTALS | — | 41 | 92 | 14 | 37 | 20 | 22 | 42 | 23 | 3 | 6 | 116 |
| Dallas Mavericks – Player Statistics | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | MIN | FG | FGA | 3P | 3PA | FT | FTA | REB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS |
| Cooper Flagg | 33:53 | 9 | 25 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 25 |
| Marvin Bagley III | 22:07 | 6 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 19 |
| Max Christie | 28:55 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Klay Thompson | 26:17 | 4 | 17 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 11 |
| Naji Marshall | 19:55 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| Dwight Powell | 19:28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Khris Middleton | 19:35 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| AJ Johnson | 08:03 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Ryan Nembhard | 05:57 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| TEAM TOTALS | — | 35 | 100 | 6 | 33 | 27 | 28 | 34 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 103 |
The 17-0 Punch That Started It All
The Clippers came out swinging. Not like a polite sparring match. Like a street fight.
They scored the first 17 points of the game. Seventeen. Before the Mavericks even got on the board. Brook Lopez started it with a dunk. Derrick Jones Jr. hit free throws. Then more buckets. Then more stops.
By the time six minutes had passed, the score was 27-4. The Intuit Dome crowd was losing its mind. LA Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks April 7 game stats from the first quarter are absurd. The Clippers shot 68% from the floor. They nailed six 3-pointers in the first 12 minutes alone.
That first quarter ended 39-26. The Clippers had 39 points. The most they’ve scored in an opening frame all season? No. But top five? Yes. And every single one of those top-five first quarters has happened since March. This team gets hot fast.
But here’s the thing about punching first. Sometimes you tire yourself out.
The Mavericks Punch Back (And Hard)
Dallas didn’t fold. That’s what makes the Clippers vs Mavericks game recap 2026 so interesting.
The Mavericks have nothing to play for. Their record is 25-54. They’re lottery-bound. Most teams would take the beating and go home. Not these guys.
Cooper Flagg led the charge. The rookie sensation had just dropped 51 points against Orlando. Then 45 against the Lakers. Now he was in Inglewood, down 23, and he didn’t care. He attacked the rim as it owed him money. He posterized Brook Lopez. He kept coming.
The Mavs went on a 21-8 run in the second quarter. Suddenly, the 23-point lead was gone. The game was tied at 47. Bagley hit a 3-pointer to complete the comeback. The Clippers looked stunned.
The Dallas Mavericks poor 3-point shooting performance eventually hurt them. They shot just 6-for-33 from deep for the game. That’s 18%. Yikes. But in the second quarter, they didn’t need threes. They attacked the paint. They got to the line. They made the Clippers sweat.
By halftime, the Clippers vs Mavericks quarter-by-quarter stats showed LA leading 65-55. But the momentum had shifted. Dallas believed.
Cooper Flagg: The Teenager Who Won’t Quit
Let’s talk about the rookie. Because Cooper Flagg is special.
The Clippers vs Mavericks player stats for April 2026 show Flagg with 25 points and 9 rebounds. He shot 9-for-25 from the floor. Not efficient. But watch the game, and you’d never know.
Flagg had scored 96 points in his previous two games. Fifty-one against Orlando. Forty-five against the Lakers. That’s the fifth-most points by a rookie in a two-game span in NBA history. The only guy above him? Wilt Chamberlain. All four spots. Let that sink in.
In this game, Flagg struggled from the field. But he kept attacking. He drew fouls. He grabbed rebounds. He made plays. His four 40-point games this season already surpassed LeBron James’s for the most by a teenager in NBA history.
The kid is 19 years old. He’s playing against grown men. And he’s not backing down.
In the third quarter, Flagg helped Dallas tie the game again. Then Ryan Nembhard hit a basket to give the Mavs their second lead of the night: 80-77. The Clippers had blown a 23-point lead. The Intuit Dome got quiet.
Kawhi Leonard’s 34-Point Rescue Mission
Then Kawhi Leonard took over.
Kawhi Leonard’s 34 points vs Mavericks isn’t just a stat line. It’s a story. Leonard played 30 minutes. He shot 11-for-19 from the field. He hit 6-of-10 from 3-point range. He added 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal.
But the real magic happened in the third quarter.
With the Clippers trailing 80-77, Leonard scored seven of LA’s final 11 points. A 3-pointer. A basket off his own offensive rebound. Two free throws. He sent the Clippers into the fourth quarter leading 89-84.
That’s what superstars do. They don’t panic. They don’t complain. They just take over.
It was Leonard’s 55th consecutive game with 20 or more points. Fifty-five straight. That’s ridiculous consistency. He’s played in 62 games this season. He needs three more to be eligible for MVP and All-NBA honors.
Coach Tyronn Lue said after the game: “He’s doing it by example… playing every night, through injuries, through things he’s going through and be able to produce”.
That’s the difference between good teams and playoff teams. Good teams have talent. Playoff teams have guys who refuse to lose.
Clippers vs Mavericks Team Stats Breakdown
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty. The Clippers vs Mavericks team stats breakdown tells you why LA won.
Shooting:
- Clippers: 41-for-92 (44.6% FG), 14-for-37 (37.8% from 3)
- Mavericks: 35-for-100 (35% FG), 6-for-33 (18.2% from 3)
That 3-point difference is the game right there. Dallas couldn’t hit water from a boat. The Mavericks’ shooting percentage vs Clippers was brutal. Especially from deep.
Free throws:
- Mavericks: 25-for-26 (96.2%)
- Clippers: 20-for-22 (90.9%)
Both teams shot well from the line. Max Christie went 10-for-10. That’s perfect. The Mavs’ only miss came from AJ Johnson late in the game.
Rebounds:
- Clippers: 42 total (9 offensive, 33 defensive)
- Mavericks: 34 total (10 offensive, 24 defensive)
Brook Lopez grabbed 11 rebounds for LA. Derrick Jones Jr. added 10 boards to go with his 11 points. Double-double for Jones. That’s winning basketball.
Assists and turnovers:
- Clippers: 23 assists, 14 turnovers
- Mavericks: 13 assists, 8 turnovers
The Mavs took care of the ball better. But they couldn’t score. When you shoot 18% from deep, it doesn’t matter how few turnovers you have.
The Play-In Race Impact
This game mattered. A lot.
The Clippers vs Mavericks play-in race impact is huge. LA improved to 41-38. They’re now tied with Portland for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.
The NBA Western Conference standings, Clippers, and Mavericks before this game had LA clinging to the final play-in spot. The Portland Trail Blazers were right behind them. Every win counts.
The Clippers started the season 6-21. That’s not a typo. Six wins. Twenty-one losses. Most teams would tank. Most teams would pack it in. Not these Clippers.
No team in NBA history has ever reached above .500 after falling 15 games below it in the same season. The Clippers are about to do that. They’re 41-38 now. One more win, and they’re above .500. Historic stuff.
Coach Tyronn Lue said, “To have a mindset to go through tough times and get your way out, I give all the credit to our players and coaches. Have the mental fortitude to say you know what that’s over, that’s behind us, let’s start from here”.
That’s not coach-speak. That’s real.
Key Players Who Showed Up (And One Who Didn’t)
Clippers:
- Kawhi Leonard: 34 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 6 threes. The closer.
- Darius Garland: 22 points. The steady hand next to Kawhi.
- Derrick Jones Jr.: 11 points, 10 rebounds. Double-double energy.
- Brook Lopez: 11 rebounds, 3 blocks. Protected the paint.
Mavericks:
- Cooper Flagg: 25 points, 9 rebounds. Inefficient but unstoppable.
- Marvin Bagley III: 21 points, 9 rebounds off the bench. Instant offense.
- Max Christie: 12 points, 10-for-10 from the line. Perfect night from the stripe.
- Klay Thompson: 4-for-17 from the field. 1-for-10 from 3. Rough night for the future Hall of Famer.
The Clippers vs Mavericks scoring leaders were Leonard and Flagg. Two different generations. Two different styles. Both electric.
What This Game Tells Us About Both Teams
The Clippers vs Mavericks latest game analysis reveals some truths.
For the Clippers: They can beat anyone when they’re focused. They also have a bad habit of relaxing with big leads. A 23-point lead shouldn’t disappear. But they recovered. That’s what matters.
For the Mavericks: They’re not good. Their record is 25-54. But they fight. Cooper Flagg is a legitimate star. Surround him with talent, and Dallas could be scary in 2-3 years.
The Mavericks losing streak analysis 2026 shows a team that lost 14 straight home games earlier this season. That’s brutal. But they broke that streak against the Lakers. Then they came close against the Clippers. Progress is slow, but it’s happening.
Clippers vs Mavericks Highlights and Stats: The Key Moments
Let me paint you the four most important stretches of this game.
1. The 17-0 Run (First Quarter)
The Clippers scored the first 17 points. Lopez dunk. Jones free throws. More buckets. The Mavs looked lost. The lead hit 23. Game over, right? Wrong.
2. The 21-8 Response (Second Quarter)
Dallas fought back. Bagley’s 3-pointer tied the game at 47. The 23-point lead was gone. The Clippers looked shaken.
3. The 80-77 Lead (Third Quarter)
The Mavs took their second lead of the night on a Nembhard basket. Intuit Dome went quiet. You could hear sneakers squeaking. This was real.
4. Kawhi’s 7-Point Close (Third Quarter)
Leonard scored seven of LA’s final 11 points in the third. A 3-pointer. A putback. Two free throws. The Clippers led 89-84 heading into the fourth. The crisis was averted.
The Clippers vs Mavericks highlights and stats from these four moments tell the real story. It wasn’t a blowout. It was a survival job.
What’s Next for Both Teams?
The NBA April 7 games results 2026 are in. Now what?
The Mavericks visit the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. Also, a back-to-back. Phoenix is fighting for playoff positioning. Dallas is just trying to finish the season with dignity.
The Clippers vs Mavericks head-to-head 2026 season series ends 2-1 in favor of the Clippers. They lost the first matchup 114-110 on November 29. Then they won the next two. The March 21 game went to overtime. The Clippers won 138-131.
These teams don’t like each other. The history runs deep. Playoff battles. Luka versus Kawhi. Now, Flagg versus Leonard. The rivalry is alive.
Final Thoughts
The Clippers vs Mavericks April 7 results are clear on paper. LA won 116-103. Kawhi scored 34. Flagg scored 25. Simple.
But basketball isn’t played on paper.
This game had a 17-0 start. A 23-point blown lead. A rookie who wouldn’t quit. A superstar who took over when it mattered. The Mavericks vs Clippers full game stats show a tale of two halves. The Clippers offensive efficiency vs Mavericks was elite in the first quarter and shaky in the middle. The Dallas Mavericks poor 3-point shooting performance was the difference.
The Clippers vs Mavericks advanced stats (FG%, 3PT%, turnovers) tell you LA was better from deep and on the glass. That’s why they won.
If you’re a Clippers fan, you’re thrilled with the win but nervous about the blown lead. If you’re a Mavericks fan, you’re excited about Flagg and ready for the draft lottery.
Either way, April 7, 2026, was a fun night of NBA basketball.
1. What was the final score of the Clippers vs Mavericks game on April 7, 2026?
The Clippers vs Mavericks final score on April 7 was 116-103 in favor of the LA Clippers. The Clippers blew a 23-point lead but recovered behind Kawhi Leonard’s 34 points.
2. How many points did Kawhi Leonard score against the Mavericks on April 7, 2026?
Kawhi Leonard’s 34 points vs Mavericks were the story of the night. He shot 11-for-19 from the field, hit six 3-pointers, and added 4 rebounds and 3 assists in 30 minutes.
3. How did Cooper Flagg perform in the Mavericks vs Clippers game?
Cooper Flagg had 25 points and 9 rebounds for Dallas. He shot 9-for-25 from the floor but kept attacking. It was his third straight game with 20+ points, following a 51-point game and a 45-point game.
4. What was the Clippers’ biggest lead in the April 7 game against Dallas?
The Clippers led by 23 points early in the first quarter. They scored the first 17 points of the game and extended the lead to 23 on a Brook Lopez 3-pointer. They nearly lost that lead but held on to win.
5. How did this game impact the NBA Western Conference playoff race?
The win moved the Clippers to 41-38, keeping them in the No. 8 seed play-in spot. They started the season 6-21 and are now on the verge of finishing above .500, which no NBA team has ever done after falling 15 games below .500.
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