Moments earlier, Dennis Smith Jr. missed a driving layup and, as he later described it, had fallen "on my ass."
The Clippers' Avery Bradley drained a three-pointer, giving Los Angeles a one-point lead with 5:45 left. Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle called timeout.
What happened next appeared to be a clear indicator of how Smith's teammates feel about him and his Tuesday night return from his weeklong self-estrangement from the franchise.
Veteran swingman Wesley Matthews walked the length of the court to make sure Smith was OK, then draped his left arm across Smith's shoulders. As the pair reached midcourt, Luka Doncic and DeAndre Jordan were among a half-dozen Mavericks who met them.