Clippers drop last game of trip to the Mavericks

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The Clippers wanted to finish their six-game, 10-day trip the right way, with a victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night.

It didn’t turn out that way for the Clippers, who dropped a 96-92 decision to the Mavericks at American Airlines Center.

The Clippers finished the trip with a 4-2 record, losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Mavericks.

Clippers forward Caron Butler, on the night he got his 2011 NBA championship ring from Dallas, did all he could to beat his former club.

PHOTOS: Clippers vs. Mavericks

Butler scored a season-high 23 points, although he missed a potential game-winning three-pointer with 3.5 seconds left.

Butler was seven-for-17 shooting from the field, five for 10 from three-point range.

Blake Griffin had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Clippers while Chris Paul had 16 points and nine assists.

Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks with 22 points and seven rebounds, while Shawn Marion added 16 points and Brendan Haywood finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.

-- Broderick Turner, reporting from Dallas