Cooper Flagg notches first 30-point game to beat swooning Clippers

The Clippers had no better option than James Harden

This isn't a knock on Harden, who shouldn't be expected to slow down a forward who is half his age, especially when he's carrying the offense with 11 assists and 17-for-19 shooting from the free-throw line. But the Clippers still decided that Harden was their best option, though Flagg also torched forward John Collins on a few possessions.

Leonard did manage to put the clamps on Flagg at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but it seems like Clippers coach Ty Lue isn't comfortable taxing his star, who recently returned from injuries to his foot and ankle. The problem is, the Clippers are lacking another option to stop big players. Kris Dunn can guard on the perimeter, but starting Collins and Harden puts two big holes in their defense to start the game, perhaps why Flagg had 12 points in the first 8:07.

With Derrick Jones, Jr. out until at least January with a sprained MCL, the Clippers don't have enough quality defenders to slow down Flagg — or when they did, no one to keep Klay Thompson from pouring in 17 fourth-quarter points.

The huge night from Flagg moved the Mavericks a half-game ahead of the Clippers. Even after a miserable, injury-filled Mavericks start that led to the team firing their general manager, they're still doing better than the Clippers, who have lost 13 of their last 15 games. There's not even any draft reward for all their losing, since the Oklahoma City Thunder can swap for their first-round pick.

Flagg scored the first of what may be many 30-point games Saturday. For this Clippers team, the future looks increasingly dismal.