Instant Reactions: Mavericks push Clippers to double overtime, but James Harden’s triple-double steals the night

With the ball at the top of the key, Daniel Gafford found a cutting D’Angelo Russell.

Russell caught the pass with one of the NBA’s top perimeter defenders, Kris Dunn, draped on him. But this was Russell’s night after a rough stretch over the past week. He floated in a contested runner over Dunn to tie the game late in the fourth quarter.

Russell scored 10 points in the fourth to spark a 17–6 Mavericks run, helping Dallas claw back and force two overtimes. But the Mavericks ultimately fell to the Los Angeles Clippers 133-127 in double overtime on Friday at the American Airlines Center.

In the first overtime, Russell got help from Naji Marshall and Cooper Flagg. Marshall knocked down two free throws after being fouled on a fast-break attempt, and Flagg hit a running layup to tie the game at 123 with 20 seconds remaining. Gafford then blocked the Clippers’ final shot, giving Dallas 1.4 seconds for a potential game-winner — but Max Christie fumbled the inbounds pass, sending the game to double overtime.

In the second overtime, James Harden wouldn’t be denied. Harden scored four points in the period to cap his monster night: 41 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists.

The loss marked the Mavericks’ seventh in their last eight. They’ll try to regroup Sunday against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first leg of a back-to-back