SALT LAKE CITY (Interstat) — In a G League thriller that defied pregame projections, John Poulakidas sank a 27-foot step-back 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift the San Diego Clippers to a 140-139 victory over the Salt Lake City Stars on Monday night at Bruin Arena.

The game, a back-and-forth offensive showcase featuring 18 lead changes and neither team leading by more than eight points, was decided in the final seven seconds. After Oscar Tshiebwe put the Stars ahead 139-137 on an offensive rebound and putback with seven seconds remaining, the Clippers called their final timeout.

On the ensuing inbounds play, Jaelen House, who finished with 25 points and 12 assists, drove toward the lane but found his path contested. He kicked the ball out to Poulakidas on the right wing. The shooting guard from Naperville, Illinois, created space with a step-back move over a closing defender and released the shot as the horn sounded. The ball swished through the net, setting off a celebration for the visiting Clippers.

The dramatic finish capped a game where offensive efficiency was the norm. San Diego improved to 17-15 with the win, while Salt Lake City fell to 19-14. Interstat’s ELO system had given the Stars an 82.7 percent probability to win.

San Diego’s victory was fueled by balanced scoring and clutch playmaking. Alongside House’s double-double, Patrick Baldwin and Zach Freemantle each scored 26 points. Baldwin added four rebounds and two blocks, while Freemantle, from Oradell, New Jersey, contributed three rebounds and three assists. Poulakidas finished with 20 points, all of which proved critical.

Salt Lake City was led by a dominant performance on the glass from Oscar Tshiebwe, who hauled in 17 rebounds to go with 11 points and four assists. Max Abmas led all Stars scorers with 26 points. Matthew Cleveland added 20 points and eight rebounds, Dereon Seabron had 19 points, six rebounds and five assists, and John Tonje of Omaha, Nebraska, scored 21.

The contest was characterized by runs throughout. San Diego built an early 14-point lead in the first quarter, only to see Salt Lake City storm back with a 45-point second quarter to take a 70-67 lead into halftime. The third quarter saw the Clippers regain a slim advantage, and the fourth became a tense exchange of baskets leading to the final sequence.

The most important stretch of the game was undoubtedly the final 10 seconds. After Tshiebwe’s putback gave the Stars the lead and seemingly the win, the Clippers executed their final play perfectly. House, the team’s floor general and top performer, drew the defense and made the correct read, finding Poulakidas for the game-winning shot. This decisive play underscored the high-stakes nature of the final possession and provided the defining moment in a game filled with offensive fireworks.

The two teams will meet again at Bruin Arena on Wednesday.