DALLAS — Easily the most anticipated matchup of the young season for fans of the Dallas Mavericks went as well as they could have hoped.
Dallas faithful showed up Wednesday night to boo Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan and cheer their underdog Mavericks to victory.
The former was easy enough. Dirk Nowitzki took care of the latter.
The 37-year-old future Hall of Famer scored a season-high 31 points to lead the Mavericks to a 118-108 win over Jordan and Clippers at American Airlines Center.
Nowitzki confounded the Clippers with a shooting display for the ages. The power forward drilled 11-of-14 shots from the field, his last being a banked 3-pointer 1:05 to play to give the Mavericks a 113-108 lead.
The Mavericks (4-4) evened their home record at 2-2 and avenged a 16-point road loss to the Clippers earlier this season.
Jordan came in as public enemy No. 1 in Dallas after leaving the Mark Cuban at the free-agency altar during the summer. Jordan had originally agreed to join the Mavs before a famously changing his mind and resigning with the Clippers.
Even though the Clippers and Mavericks had met Oct. 29 in Los Angeles, this meeting took on added significance. Jordan took the court he nearly called home.
The 7-footer, booed every time he touched the ball and doubly loud at the foul line, didn’t have much of an impact. Jordan finished with nine points and 11 rebounds. He went 3 of 9 at the line.
The Mavericks were in control for much of the third quarter, opening a 14-point lead on Nowitzki’s hot hand. The Clippers reeled off an 8-0 spurt to make it a game going into the fourth quarter.
Los Angeles guard Austin Rivers’ driving layup tied the score at 94 with more than seven minutes left. Rivers (16 points) drilled a 3-pointer shortly after for a 99-97 edge for the visitors.
Dallas shooting guard Wesley Matthews (season-high 25 points) knocked down a 3-pointer to knot it at 100 with the Mavs in the midst of intentionally fouling Jordan.
Clippers point guard Chris Paul (11 points, 11 assists) hit desperation 3-pointer to give his team its last lead at 106-104. Dallas outscored L.A. 14-2 to end the game.
Clippers power forward Blake Griffin scored a team-high 21 points, his eighth consecutive game with at least 20.
Dallas shot 55.3 percent from the field (42 of 76) and held the Clippers to 43 percent (37 of 86). Nowitzki made 5 of 6 from 3-point range.
All five Mavs starters scored in double figures. Co-point guards Deron Williams and Raymond Felton each had 13 and combined for nine assists. Center Zaza Pachulia had 10 points and 10 boards.
The Mavs were without small forward Chandler Parsons, who was held out in a precautionary move after playing the night before. Parsons’ minutes have been restricted coming off offseason knee surgery.
The Clippers went on a 16-3 run to take a 10-point lead (31-21) late in the first quarter. Paul had seven assists in the quarter.
Dallas made a push early in the second quarter led by rookie guard Justin Anderson and second-year forward Dwight Powell to regain the lead. The Mavs shot the ball well and were up for most of the quarter.
Los Angeles closed strong and went into locker room up 54-53 after reserve guard Jamal Crawford’s corner 3-pointer at the end of the half.
NOTES: Clippers coach Doc Rivers clearly wasn’t in the mood to discuss (again) C DeAndre Jordan spurning Dallas in free agency. “Please get over this,” Rivers said pregame. Though Mavs owner Mark Cuban encouraged fans to boo Jordan heartedly, Dallas’ franchise player has moved on. “It was in July,” PF Dirk Nowitzki said. “We’re in freaking November now. This is not an issue anymore, but if he gets booed, that’s fine.” … The Mavericks were on the second night of a back-to-back after losing Tuesday at New Orleans. … The Clippers complete a back-to-back Thursday at Phoenix. … Clippers PG Chris Paul came into the game five assists shy of 7,000 for his career.