Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers Predictions, Odds & Picks

• The Dallas Mavericks return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
• The LA Clippers swept the season series against the Dallas Mavericks.
• This will be the first ever playoff series between the Mavericks and the Clippers.

Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers Odds

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Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers Predictions and Picks

Here’s a tough choice between a historic offense or a suffocating defense. The Clipper score a lot and limit their opponents, we expect the same against the Dallas Mavericks in this matchup.

Pick:

LA Clippers def. Dallas Mavericks -265

LA Clippers -6 -110

Under 230 -114

How to Watch Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers

Head-to-Head: Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers

Can Dallas Maintain Their High-Powered Offence?

The Dallas Mavericks finished the NBA regular season and seeding schedule with the most efficient offense in NBA history, scoring 116.1 points per 100 possessions.

However, against the LA Clippers, the Mavericks have struggled to score. Averaging about 117.0 points per game, the Clippers held the Mavericks to just 105.6 per game in three Dallas losses.

The attention that Luka creates and the ball movement of Rick Carlisle’s squad are apparent. In order to overcome fearsome perimeter defenders in Leonard, George, and Beverley, the Mavericks must find efficiency in their shooting and limit turnovers.

LA’s Bigs Must Contain Porzingis

Usually lost in the shuffle due to the stardom of Doncic, Porzingis has been brilliant since the NBA’s restarted. With a bevvy of traditional big men like Joakim Noah, Ivica Zubac, and Montrezl Harrell on their roster, the Clippers, on paper, don’t have a winning defensive matchup against the Latvian.

Despite ranking in the bottom third of the league in field goal attempts allowed, the Clippers are third overall in field goal percentage allowed. Their length at every position is troubling in help situations, forcing a number of difficult shots.

Porzingis’ size and versatility will be a problem, so help and recovery on shooters and slashers will be key to the Clippers’ success. They don’t block many shots at the rim, so team defence and gang rebounding are the keys to overcoming their size disadvantage.

Mavericks Key Player: (G) Luka Doncic

? @luka7doncic drops his NBA-leading 17th triple-double! #MFFL

36 PTS | 14 REB | 19 AST (career-high) pic.twitter.com/LOzLHy5QSb

— NBA (@NBA) August 9, 2020

Luka’s growth has been absolutely incredible. After winning Rookie of the Year last season, the Slovenian guard was named a finalist for the 2020 NBA Most Improved Player Award.

Doncic’s production is rivaled by only the upper echelon of the NBA like LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo. While one could say that makes the Mavericks one dimensional, their first ranked offence would beg to differ.

All the focus will be on Luka in this series, as the Mavericks lack shot creators outside of him. The Mavericks are best when Doncic is creating, as he averages 9.4 assists in wins versus 8.0 in losses to go along with 4.64 turnovers per game.

Clippers Key Player: (F) Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi, oh my.

A personal 11-0 run for @kawhileonard. pic.twitter.com/zMHBgBnBSD

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) August 10, 2020

Kawhi Leonard is like a hired gun in today’s NBA. He doesn’t show up often, but his affect on games is absolutely deadly to their opponents.

On top of making the All-Bubble Second Team due to his tremendous play in six games of the seeding schedule, Leonard’s most important contributions come on the defensive end of the court.

Despite averaging 28.8 points per game on 47.9% from the field and 48.5% from three, Leonard will be tasked with slowing down emerging superstar Luka Doncic. A task he is surely up to.