Grimes was on a heater during 16-point win over Clippers

Needless to say, Dallas Mavericks guard Quentin Grimes was on a heater Saturday night against the Los Angeles Clippers.

So much so that when Grimes attempted a lob pass to Dereck Lively II early in the fourth quarter, the ball somehow found its way through the basket before it could get to Lively.

“I tried to throw the lob to (Lively) and somebody tipped it in and I get the points,” Grimes said. “So, the luck of the draw sometimes.

“I had good energy out there on the court.”

Grimes energy was so high that he fired in 14 of his team-high 20 points during a three minutes and three seconds span of the fourth quarter. During that time frame he buried three three-pointers converted three free throws after he was fouled while attempting a three-pointer, and also was credited with the basket on his attempted lob pass to Lively.

“For me, I’m completely locked in,” said Grimes, who made 7-of-8 shots. “I’m just trying to focus on the next play and get a stop defensively, and if they can find me like Kyrie (Irving) did coming down the court the next time, then it is what it is.

“I’m just trying to stay in the flow and not get too high or too low. If it comes by way, I’m definitely going to shoot it. I try to stay even keel in that moment for sure.”

For his part, Lively couldn’t do anything but smile after Grimes’ aforementioned lob was aborted – and wound up in the basket during the Mavs’ 113-97 win over the Clippers.

“We’re trying to make that connection, but I guess he had a connection with the rim,” Lively said. “He got a lucky tip in there.

“Those are shots that we play off of. It gives us energy. We smile, we get back and we play defense after those plays, so we got to take them and get as many as we can.”

KIDD MOURNS THE LOSS OF HENDERSON: Former Major League Baseball player Rickey Henderson, who made a career out of being flamboyant while stealing bases, died Friday at the age of 65.

A hall of famer, Henderson played 25 years with nine different teams and had four different stints with the Oakland A’s. Mavs coach Jason Kidd grew up in Oakland watching Henderson play.

“It’s sad to hear the news about Rickey Henderson – a legend from Oakland and also a legend in Major League Baseball,” Kidd said. “Growing up as a kid we all wanted to steal bases like Rickey Henderson — with the fingers wiggling, he let you know that he was going.

“We lost a great person and a legend sadly unexpectedly. Our wishes and prayers go out to the Henderson family.”

Henderson was a 10-time All-Star who led the majors in stolen bases 12 times. He also is baseball’s all-time stolen base leader with 1,406, and stole a single-season record 130 bases in 1982.

“As a kid growing up and liking to play baseball, we all wanted to steal bases like Rickey,” Kidd said. “Unfortunately, I couldn’t get that low in a baseball stance.”

The leadoff hitter in the lineup, Henderson also amazed many with his power as he blasted a record 81 leadoff home runs in his illustrious career

“If you were a leadoff hitter, you wanted to be Rickey Henderson and he was one of the best leadoff hitters in the game,” Kidd said. “A lot of times he would lead off with the homer run with power, so it was always fun to watch.”

EXUM WITH — THE LEFT HAND?: One positive from the surgery guard Dante Exum had on his right wrist back in training camp is that he may come back being a more proficient player while using his left hand.

Before Saturday’s game coach Jason Kidd said Exum was “out there doing everything left-handed, so he’s working extremely hard. He looks great. He’ll probably come back as a left-handed player. Just joking.

“But he is working. Hopefully at some point he’ll start to be able to use the hand that he had surgery on, but he is doing a lot of work on the floor and he’s trending in the right direction.”

Exum was expected to play a major role in the Mavs’ rotation this season, but was injured during training camp. In 55 games with the Mavs last season he averaged 7.8 points and shot a career-high 53.3 percent from the field and a career-high 49.1 percent from three-point land.

LUE PRAISES KIDD: Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue has noticed how much of a threat the Mavs have become in the three-plus years Jason Kidd has been their coach.

Kidd became the Mavs’ coach prior to the 2021-22 season, and the Mavs advanced to the Western Conference Finals that season, and to the NBA Finals last season.

“They’ve gotten better every year,” Lue said. “I think when J-Kidd took over, (the Mavs have) just had that defensive mindset, that defensive approach. And then going to the Finals last year, every year they’ve gotten better.

“He had to figure out how Luka (Dončić) was going to play, how they were going to use him, how to get him into his offense. But J-Kidd’s done a helluva job. He is one of the best coaches in the league and he showed that last year when they went to the Finals.”

Kidd has produced a pair of 50-win seasons and a Southwest Division title with the Mavs while piecing together a 158-116 won-loss record for a 57.7 winning percentage.

BRIEFLY: During a break in the action in the fourth quarter Saturday, Mavs forward Naji Marshall was whistled for a technical foul. “That was my fault,” Marshall said. “I was just running off a little bit. I deserved it. I told the ref afterwards, too, ‘Thank you.’ “. .Clippers coach Tyronn Lue didn’t mind having his team in Dallas for four days to play two games. (This was) just to have a chance to come to a great city like Dallas, which I love,” Lue said. “My family’s here. We’ve been here four nights. I get a chance to see family, go to dinners, come to two games, and Dallas is a great city as well. It’s kind of like baseball. Just come here and stay for four or five days.” Both teams will get to do this all over again – the next time in Los Angeles – when the Mavs play the Clippers on April 4 and April 5. . .The Mavs have two more games on this four-game home stand — Monday against Portland and Wednesday against Minnesota.

X: @DwainPrice