The Clippers duo are finding their footing down the stretch.
Darius Garland is still getting used to his new surroundings in Los Angeles, but Saturday night in Dallas felt like a turning point.
The two-time All-Star guard exploded for a career-high 41 points and 11 assists, while Kawhi Leonard added 34 points of his own as the Los Angeles Clippers rallied from 11 down to beat the Mavericks 138-131 in overtime.
Garland and Leonard combined for 75 points, and Garland was full of praise for his new running mate after the game.
"It was pretty cool to see him go to work," Garland said via reporter Joey Linn. "I just wanted him to get some catch and shoot opportunities. He got a couple tonight to get him going. It was a good overall team win."
Garland Makes Franchise History
It was easily Garland's best performance since arriving in Los Angeles.
He went 15-of-24 from the field and knocked down eight threes on 12 attempts, becoming just the fourth player in Clippers franchise history to post at least 40 points and 10 assists in a single game.
He also became the youngest guard in team history to hit those marks, and the first Clipper ever to record 40 points, 10 assists and seven or more threes in the same contest.
Garland was in complete control of the offense all night, picking apart Dallas in the pick-and-roll and pulling up from deep whenever the Mavericks gave him space.
He had 18 points by halftime and then kept his foot on the gas in the second half as the Clippers clawed their way back from a nine-point deficit.
His final three of the night came in overtime and gave Los Angeles the lead for good at 125-124, setting the stage for Leonard and Derrick Jones Jr. to close things out.
Leonard and Garland Finding Their Rhythm
The pairing of Leonard and Garland is still relatively new, but the early signs have been encouraging.
Garland was acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers at the February trade deadline in exchange for James Harden and did not make his Clippers debut until March 3 due to a lingering toe injury.
Since then, the two have been building chemistry on the fly while the team manages both players' health.
When they are on the floor together, the Clippers look like a completely different team.
Leonard is averaging 28.2 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists on the season while shooting over 50 percent from the field, and Garland's playmaking ability has given the offense a spark it was missing after the Harden trade.
Garland has talked repeatedly about wanting to get Leonard easy looks, and Leonard returned the favor on Saturday by hitting a tying layup with 19 seconds left in regulation to force overtime after Dallas had taken a two-point lead.
Where the Clippers Stand
The win snapped a four-game losing streak and improved Los Angeles to 35-36 on the season, pulling them even with Portland for the eighth spot in the Western Conference.
It is a remarkable turnaround for a team that started the year 6-21, and Garland's arrival has only added to the momentum the franchise has been building since December.
With 11 games left in the regular season, the Clippers need Garland and Leonard healthy and playing together as much as possible.
Saturday showed what this duo is capable of when both players are locked in, and if they can keep this up, Los Angeles could be a tough matchup for anyone in the play-in tournament.
The Clippers host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night at Intuit Dome.