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02/15/2012 - 11:48 Mavs Drop Clips For Fifth Straight Win by Kami Mattioli The Dallas Mavericks are rolling and to Lamar Odom, that's all that matters. But LO has found a comfort zone too and the Mavs are benefiting from his success.
Lamar was able to replicate the success of his strong showing on Saturday night in the Mavs' Monday night win over the LA Clippers. No. 7's nine-point, three-assist and three-rebound performance propelled the Mavs to a 96-92 victory over a strong Los Angeles team, and allowed his team to avenge a last-second road loss to the Clippers on January 18.
After pitching in during each of the first three frames, Lamar sat out the fourth as the Mavs starters closed out the win. But, unselfish by nature, LO told reporters after the game that he's happy with his role and even happier to bring a winning streak to Dallas.
After heading back to the bench midway through the second, Lamar returned late in the half when Nowitzki picked up his third foul. No. 7 came up big in Nowitzki's stead and his runner with 36.8 to go in the field half gave Dallas an eight-point lead at the break. With LO back on the bench to start the third, the Mavs appeared to lose some steam. By the time he re-entered the game with 4:35 to go in the third, their lead was down to three and shortly thereafter, Dallas found themselves behind. But Lamar knocked down a three to tie the game with 2:33 to go. After a Caron Butler trey put Dallas back behind by three, LO sank two free throws to make it a one-point game. He grabbed a board with 1:44 to go, leading directly to a Vince Carter trey, which put the Mavericks in front by two with 1:36 left in the quarter. Carter talked on Tuesday with Ben and Skin on KESN-FM 103.3 about the bond he shares with LO and how they both see the game.
In the final seconds of the third quarter, LO showed one of those flashes of brilliance when he combined with Brandan Wright to serve up the highlight of the night. Lamar stood at the top of the arc with the ball in one hand after Carter passed out of a double team. Meanwhile, Wright cut to the basket, took a one handed lob from LO and slammed it home to put Dallas in front by one. The play fired up the Dallas crowd with 56.8 seconds remaining in the third. Behind the expert passing and clutch shooting of the team's other veterans, Nowitzki and Jason Kidd, the Mavs were able to hang on for the 96-92 victory over the LA Clippers. Monday night's win marks the 10th straight for the Mavs over the Clippers in Dallas, extending a streak spanning more than five years.
NEXT UP Denver has lost seven of 10 while the Mavs are smack dab in the middle of a hot streak, having won five in a row. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 on Fox Sports Southwest.
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The Mavs jumped out to a lead early in the first behind their starters and the reserves held it through the second quarter with the help of four points in the quarter from LO.
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