Mavs' Carlisle on Jordan's huge night: 'Now you know why we wanted him'

Although every game matters - especially for teams in the playoff hunt - Monday night's match likely held slightly higher stakes than others.

As the Los Angeles Clippers visited American Airlines Center for the second and final time this regular season, the visiting team looked to avenge its Nov. 11 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

What made this particular contest "must-see TV," however, was the presence of Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, who infamously spurned the Mavs during last summer's free-agency period.

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After handling Jordan and the Clippers in their 118-108 victory during the second week of the 2015-16 campaign, the Mavericks entered Monday's clash with a 33-30 record while hanging on to the No. 6 seed in the tight race for Western Conference playoff contention.

Being outscored 33-16 in the third quarter, though, didn't help matters as the Clippers ran away with the game in the second half behind a masterful performance by none other than Jordan himself.

Following the 109-90 drubbing - made all the more difficult for Dallas to swallow because of Jordan's 23 points and 20 rebounds - Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle cited Jordan's potent output as the reason his team lobbied for his services last July.

Clippers bench boss Doc Rivers praised his big man while reiterating Carlisle's sentiments, perhaps with a dollop of his usual facetious wit.

The two teams will meet once more before the playoffs, as the Mavericks will head into Staples Center on April 10.