Quentin Grimes leads bench scoring barrage as Mavericks beat Clippers 113-97 without Luka Doncic

DALLAS (AP) — Quentin Grimes scored 20 points off the bench, 14 in the fourth quarter, leading eight Mavericks in double figures as Dallas beat the Los Angeles Clippers 113-97 on Saturday night despite missing leading scorer Luka Doncic.

Doncic, fifth in the NBA with 28.9 points per game, missed his second consecutive game with a left heel contusion.

Klay Thompson scored 16 points, and Kyrie Irving and Spencer Dinwiddie had 15 apiece.

Irving, Dallas’ second-leading scorer who averages 23.9 points, missed the previous game with a sore shoulder.

During one stretch midway through the final period, Grimes hit consecutive 3-pointers and was then fouled behind the arc on Dallas’ next shot and hit all three free throws.

Norman Powell scored 28 points for the Clippers, who split a two-game series at Dallas. James Harden and Kevin Porter Jr. each added 19.

The Mavericks outscored the Clippers 31-18 in the second period to lead 54-40 at halftime, outshooting them 47.8% to 22.2%.

Clippers: Ivica Zubac had 13 points and 15 rebounds for his 19th double-double. Harden passed Tim Duncan to move into 16th place in NBA career scoring with 26,503 points.

Mavericks: Dereck Lively II had 11 points and 11 rebounds as Dallas improved to 6-2 without Doncic.

Irving was 1 of 10 and 0 of 3 on 3-pointers before hitting a second-chance 3 with 1:07 to play in the first half. From that point, he shot 5 of 15 with two 3-pointers.

The Mavericks led in bench points 46-24 paced by Grimes, Daniel Gafford with 13 and Naji Marshall with 12.

The Clippers will finish a three-game road trip against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night. The Mavericks will host the Portland Trail Blazers in the third game of a four-game homestand.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard watches from the bench during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, right smiles while watching from the bench with forward Markieff Morris, left, during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) shoots against Dallas Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie (26) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Los Angeles Clippers guard Kevin Porter Jr. (77) dribbles against Dallas Mavericks guard Quentin Grimes (5) during the first period of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) reaches for the ball against Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (2) and guard Klay Thompson (31) during the first period of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (1) drives against Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) during the first period of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) drives against Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell (24) drives against Dallas Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie (26) during the first period of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II (2) hangs from the rim after slam-dunking against Los Angeles Clippers guard Norman Powell, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Dallas Mavericks guard Quentin Grimes (5) shoots against Los Angeles Clippers guard Kevin Porter Jr. (77) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama scored 30 points and tied a career high with 10 blocks as the San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 114-94 victory against the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night.

Wembanyama added seven rebounds while sitting out the final 8 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter with San Antonio headed to its largest margin of victory this season.

Wembanyama is the first player with four 3-pointers and 10 blocks in a game in NBA history and the first player under 21 with multiple games with double-figure blocks since the league began keeping track of blocks in 1974.

Charles Bassey added 16 points and 12 rebounds and Devin Vassell had 11 points for the Spurs, who have won four straight against the Trail Blazers.

San Antonio is 15-13 after winning two straight and four of five. The Spurs did not win their 15th game last season until March 17.

Shaedon Sharpe scored 25 points and Anfernee Simons had 18 points for Portland.

The Trail Blazers snapped a six-game skid with a 126-124 win over Denver on Thursday but have lost nine of their last 11 games.

Trail Blazers: Portland was 12 for 43 on 3-pointers. Simons was 3 for 11 on 3s.

Spurs: Wembanyama is averaging 29 points in his last five games.

Wembanyama blocked Deni Avdija's layup attempt with 9:51 remaining in the game for his 10th block to match the career high he set against Toronto on Feb. 12.

Wembanyama has had a block in 62 straight games, surpassing the franchise record of 61 set by Hall of Fame center David Robinson. Wembanyama also became the 15th fastest in league history to 200 career 3-pointers, doing so in 94 games.

Trail Blazers: At Dallas on Monday night.

Spurs: At Philadelphia on Monday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (2) hoists a shot against San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (10) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Man Hui)

Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (2) dunks the ball on San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Man Hui)

San Antonio Spurs guard Devin Vassell (24) makes a shot attempt against Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (2) and forward Toumani Camara, behind Vassell, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Man Hui)

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, left, blocks a shot against Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Man Hui)

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, left, attempts a shot against Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, right, and forward Toumani Camara (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Antonio, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Man Hui)