Western Conference – 5th place Mavericks vs. 4th place Clippers
In a 4-on-5 Western Conference matchup, the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers will square off in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs. Keep reading for previews and predictions for this series. Also, be sure to check out our NBA Playoff His Betting Guide, which serves as your hub for all postseason His betting content.
Mavericks vs. Clippers Series Preview
This season saw a long stretch of time where the Clippers were the best team in basketball. From November 17 to February 5, Los Angeles went 31-8 and averaged more points per 100 possessions (124.7) than any team in basketball. During the same period, the Clippers were a top-10 team in the league in defensive efficiency. However, after the All-Star break, Los Angeles went just 15-13 and ranked 18th in the league in net rating before resting their starters in the final game of the regular season.
This is simply a long period of rest for this Clippers team, and Kawhi Leonard missing the final eight games of the regular season with knee swelling only adds to the uncertainty heading into this series. James Harden's play also fell off a cliff in the final two months of the regular season. You can talk all you want about “atmosphere,” but the atmosphere surrounding the Los Angeles team right now is not good. In particular, there is a lot of buzz about Paul George being transferred to the Philadelphia 76ers. In Dallas, on the other hand, the exact opposite is true.
The Mavericks, who acquired P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford in the trade, are 21-8 with the league's third-highest efficiency differential ahead of a meaningless game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, April 14th. Ta. And before that game, Dallas was first in the league in defensive efficiency over the past 15 games. This huge leap forward defensively will help the Mavericks, as a team with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving knows they can easily score from anyone and be particularly productive late in games. Suddenly I was thinking about the championship.
If you look at how these teams have played over the past two months, it's almost impossible to learn anything from the Clippers-Mavericks' 2-1 record this season. At this point, these are just two very different basketball teams. Dallas also plays a style of basketball that should be very successful in the postseason. Not only were the Mavericks second in the league in 3-point shooting frequency before the final game of the regular season, but they were also fifth in the league in half-court offensive efficiency and sixth in half-court defensive efficiency after the Washington-Gafford trade. Ta. So while Dallas can spread teams out with the three-ball, it can also put the defense in a blender with Doncic's running pick-and-roll.
Beyond the numbers, it's a little hard to imagine this version of the Clippers stopping the Mavericks' momentum. Los Angeles has a huge advantage on the sideline, and Tyronn Lue is one of the best X and O coaches in the league. He's also a magician when it comes to adjusting for each match. But who will stay in front of Irving for seven games in Los Angeles? And if Leonard isn't 100% healthy, could the Clippers take advantage of Doncic's lazy perimeter defense? Also, is Los Angeles connected enough defensively to make life difficult for Doncic?
Doncic last played against the Clippers in the postseason in 2020-21, when he averaged 35.7 points, 10.3 assists, and 7.9 rebounds per game, shooting 49.0% from the field and 40.8% from 3-point range. He definitely led the Clippers with seven points. -The battle of the game was won by the Clippers. But Doncic's supporting cast is much better this time around. He had never been surrounded by so much talent, and his work fit perfectly around him.
Bet: Mavericks to Win Series (-110)
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