Clippers Rally Past Thunder 113-112 as Garland's Late Three-Point Play Seals Win

The Los Angeles Clippers beat the Thunder 113-112 on Friday night at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, rallying from six points down in the final 2:43 to steal an NBA Cup win from Oklahoma City. Darius Garland delivered the go-ahead three-point play with 50.4 seconds left, and the Clippers survived a final look from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whose 21-foot jumper at the buzzer missed.

Brook Lopez led Los Angeles with a team-high 26 points, and Garland added 24 as the Clippers closed the night on a 7-0 run. The win improved Los Angeles to 3-8, its second victory in three games after a 1-7 start, while the Thunder fell to 8-5 with a season-high third straight loss; both teams are now 1-1 in NBA Cup play.

Key Points

• The Clippers beat the Thunder 113-112 on Friday, November 13, 2026, at Intuit Dome in Inglewood in NBA Cup play.
• Los Angeles trailed 112-106 with 2:43 remaining before closing on a 7-0 run, capped by Darius Garland's go-ahead three-point play with 50.4 seconds left.
• Brook Lopez scored a team-high 26 points and Garland added 24, while Derrick Jones Jr. and rookie Keaton Wagler had 14 points apiece and Gradey Dick added 13.
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points for Oklahoma City but missed a 21-foot jumper at the buzzer that would have won the game.
• The Clippers improved to 3-8, their second win in three games after a 1-7 start, while the Thunder fell to 8-5 with a season-high third straight loss; both teams are now 1-1 in NBA Cup play.

What Happened

The Clippers looked comfortable early, carrying a 57-44 lead into half-time behind Lopez, on his way to a team-high 26 points. The home crowd expected a routine night, but Oklahoma City clawed back, and with 2:43 remaining the visitors led 112-106. The Clippers had lost a 13-point lead and faced another defeat.

What followed was the best stretch Los Angeles has played all year. The Clippers scored the final seven points of the game, with Garland converting the go-ahead three-point play with 50.4 seconds left. The Thunder had one last chance, but Gilgeous-Alexander's 21-foot jumper at the buzzer missed. Jared McCain had earlier hit a 30-foot buzzer-beater to end the third quarter.

Background: A Slow Start Meets a Skidding Thunder

Neither team arrived at Intuit Dome in the form it expected. The Clippers opened the year 1-7, a start that put early pressure on a roster built to compete, not to rebuild. Their second win in three games does not erase that start, but it suggests the team is finding its footing.

The Thunder arrived with the opposite problem. Oklahoma City entered the night at 8-5 but on a two-game losing run, and the defeat made it three straight, a season high. The NBA Cup adds another layer: both teams now sit at 1-1 in Cup play, which means the group remains wide open, and Friday night played out with both teams treating the closing minutes like a playoff game.

Clippers Beat Thunder 113-112: How the Final Minutes Unfolded

The closing 2:43 told the story of the whole night in miniature. Down 112-106, the Clippers needed stops and scores in equal measure, and they got both. The defence tightened, the Thunder's possessions grew harder, and Los Angeles turned each stop into a trip down the floor with purpose. Garland's three-point play with 50.4 seconds left was the turning point, the kind of play that changes the mood of an arena.

The first half had suggested a different night. A 57-44 half-time lead is the sort of advantage that usually holds, and the Clippers will take confidence from the way they built it, with Wagler, the rookie, scoring 14 points and Dick adding 13. For Oklahoma City, the frustration is that Gilgeous-Alexander did almost everything asked of him: his 40 points kept the Thunder in the game and then put them ahead, and his final shot was a reasonable look that simply did not fall.

Reactions and Quotes

No post-game quotes were in the source reports, so the numbers tell the story. What stands out is the balance of the Clippers' win: five players in double figures, a team-high 26 from Lopez, and a decisive play from Garland when the game was on the line. For the Thunder, the talking point is the skid. Three straight losses is a season high, and losing when your best player scores 40 points stings.

Why It Matters

For the Clippers, this is evidence that the 1-7 start may be behind them. Two wins in three games is a modest run, but beating a team of Oklahoma City's quality in a comeback does more for confidence than a comfortable win over a struggling side. For the Thunder, the loss extends a slide that needs stopping. At 8-5 the season is far from damaged, but three straight defeats will raise questions about late-game execution. The NBA Cup picture is equally open: at 1-1 each, neither team has taken control of its group.

What Happens Next

The Clippers will look to build on their second win in three games and keep climbing out of the hole left by their 1-7 start. The formula from Friday night is clear: Lopez leading the scoring, Garland delivering in the big moments, and the supporting cast contributing double figures. The Thunder need to end their skid before it grows. Both teams remain at 1-1 in NBA Cup play, so the tournament story is still to be written.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of Clippers vs Thunder?

The Los Angeles Clippers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 113-112 on Friday, November 13, 2026, at Intuit Dome in Inglewood in NBA Cup play.

Who scored the winning points for the Clippers?

Darius Garland scored the go-ahead three-point play with 50.4 seconds left, capping a 7-0 closing run after the Clippers had trailed 112-106 with 2:43 remaining.

How many points did Shai Gilgeous-Alexander score?

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points for the Thunder, but his 21-foot jumper at the buzzer missed and would have won the game.

What are the teams' records after the game?

The Clippers improved to 3-8, their second win in three games after a 1-7 start, while the Thunder fell to 8-5 with a season-high third straight loss. Both teams are 1-1 in NBA Cup play.

Who else stood out in the game?

Brook Lopez led the Clippers with a team-high 26 points. Derrick Jones Jr. and rookie Keaton Wagler scored 14 points each, Gradey Dick added 13, and Jared McCain hit a 30-foot buzzer-beater to end the third quarter.

Read more: the Clippers were also beaten 133-110 by the Suns earlier in the week — Suns beat Clippers 133-110 behind a season-high 22 three-pointers; Friday's other NBA Cup action saw the Trail Blazers beat the Kings 120-107 and the Spurs rout the Warriors 123-85; and the Rockets beat the Warriors 115-108 to snap an eight-game win streak.