Mavericks Use Pair Of Chandlers To Thrash Clippers, 129-99
DALLAS (AP) — Chandler Parsons scored 22 points, Tyson Chandler had his 26th double-double after missing most of the last game against Los Angeles and the Dallas Mavericks ran away from the Clippers 129-99 on Friday night.
Parsons made five of six from 3-point range for a team that has been in a prolonged shooting slump to help Dallas win by 30 after sitting for two days on a 33-point home loss to Cleveland.
It was an important win for the Mavericks, who started the day in seventh place in the tightly packed Western Conference but pulled within a half-game of the fifth-place Clippers.
DeAndre Jordan had 16 points and 18 rebounds, but wasn't nearly as dominant as his last visit to Dallas when he had a career-high 27 rebounds after Chandler went out early with an ankle injury.
The Mavericks lost to the Clippers 115-98 a month ago when Monta Ellis also left early in the game with a hip injury. With all the offensive weapons available, Dallas' offense looked like the NBA-leading unit from early in the season.
With Parsons setting the tone, the Mavericks were 16 of 28 from 3-point range and ended a 17-game streak of shooting less than 50 percent from the field, finishing at 61 percent in coach Rick Carlisle's 330th win in Dallas to pass Dick Motta for second place on the franchise list.
Dirk Nowitzki, who had 14 points along with Chandler and Ellis, was one of five Dallas players with two 3-pointers apiece as the Mavericks pulled away steadily after the Clippers got within 65-62 early in the third quarter.
Rajon Rondo led Dallas with seven assists, including a behind-the-back pass to Ellis for an easy jumper after getting one of his four steals in the backcourt. Charlie Villanueva led three double-figure scorers off the bench with 19 points. Devin Harris and J.J. Barea had 15 apiece.
J.J. Redick had 17 points for the Clippers, but just two after halftime, and Chris Paul 11 points, seven assists and five steals in an otherwise frustrating game as Los Angeles awaits the return of Blake Griffin (elbow surgery) and super sub Jamal Crawford (calf injury).
The All-Star guard showed it when he was called for a flagrant foul with a swipe at Barea on a breakaway layup in the fourth quarter. Paul and Barea had a brief exchange the same way Chandler and Hedu Turkoglu did in the first half when they got tangled going after a rebound.
Jordan just missed a double-double in the first half with 11 points and nine rebounds, but the fight was fair this time with Chandler around. He just about matched Jordan before halftime with a team-high 12 points and eight rebounds and finished with 12 rebounds.
The highlight for Jordan this time came nearly 30 feet from the basket when the league leader in field goal percentage made his first career 3-pointer. The 6-foot-11 center in his seventh season chased down a loose ball and pulled up for a left-handed jumper as the shot clock was expiring.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Coach Doc Rivers said Griffin "went very hard" in a workout Friday and could play Sunday at home against Houston. Griffin has missed 14 games after surgery for a staph infection in his right elbow.
Mavericks: Al-Farouq Aminu was out after spraining his left shoulder in the loss to Cleveland. ... Amare Stoudemire left the game in the second quarter with an injured finger on his left hand and returned with it taped late in the third.
UP NEXT:
Clippers: Houston at home on Sunday.
Mavericks: Oklahoma City at home on Monday.
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