Dallas Mavericks set NBA record
NEW YORK — Los Angeles Clippers suffered their worst ever defeat in a record-breaking hammering by Dallas Mavericks that included the biggest half-time lead in National Basketball Association (NBA) history on Sunday.
Luka Doncic scored 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists as the Mavericks set an NBA record for the largest half-time lead in the shotclock era in a 124-73 win at the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday afternoon.
Josh Richardson scored 15 of his 21 points in the first half for Dallas, establishing a 77-27 lead atthe break after shooting 58 percent from the floor and holding the Clippers to 24,3%, including one of 19 from three-point distance.
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The Golden State Warriors owned the previous record for largest halftime lead in the era (1954-55), taking a 47-point advantage into the break against the Sacramento Kings on November 2, 1991.
The Clippers played without fourtime All Star forward Kawhi Leonard, who sustained a laceration near his mouth late in Friday's win against the visiting Denver Nuggets.
Paul George scored 15 points and Serge Ibaka had 13 points and nine rebounds for Los Angeles.
The Clippers scored the first two points of the game, but didn't score again until 8:11 remained in the opening quarter.
The Mavericks took their first double-digit lead on a 3-pointer by Maxi Kleber that made it 16-5 with 5:50 left in the first quarter.
Los Angeles went six minutes without a basket before Ivica Zubac scored on a dunk with 2:08 left in the opening quarter, but those points only cut the deficit to 27-9.
Dallas scored the first nine points of the second quarter to move ahead 45-13 and the Mavericks held the Clippers without a basket for another long stretch to extend their lead to 62-18 midway through the second quarter. Trey Burke hit a 3-pointer with 23,5 seconds left in the half to make it 77-27.
The Clippers scored the first 10 points of the second half for their best surge of the game, but the Mavericks outscored Los Angeles by eight points the rest of the quarter to take a 104-57 lead into the fourth.
Dallas continued to be without All Star forward Kristaps Porzingis, who remains sidelined following off-season knee surgery. —