Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Clippers: Predictions and Odds

The Dallas Mavericks currently sit at ninth in the Western Conference but are just a game behind the Grizzlies for eighth in the West. Unfortunately for Dallas, they have struggled to win on the road this season going 2-11 so far when away.

After losing to the Nuggets on Tuesday, the Mavericks are 3-3 in their last six. Unfortunately for the Mavericks it’s incredibly difficult to gain ground without a big winning streak.

The Mavericks will want to rely on the playmaking of Doncic in order to open up players on the inside to take advantage of the Clippers’ lack of size.

The Los Angeles Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers are currently tied for fifth in the Western Conference at 17-3 with the Portland Trail Blazers. With a single win they would tie their Hollywood rivals the Los Angeles Lakers for fourth in the Western Conference.

The Clippers are on a difficult slide at the moment as they’ve lost the past four games and certainly don’t want a fifth straight loss to team so close in the standings. They were blown out by the Raptors and Spurs and lost close matches to the Thunder and the Trail Blazers.

Against the Mavericks the Clippers need a statement win. In their last four matches the Clippers have lost to teams who are widely considered their superiors. Only 2.5 games separate the Mavericks and Clippers so a loss to the Clippers may have the LA front office thinking about their competitiveness in the West.

What’s At Stake?

In the 133 game history between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Clippers, the Mavericks lead the all-time series 79-54.

Should the Mavericks win the match they’d tie the Kings and Grizzlies for eighth in the West.

Should the Clippers win, they would tie the Lakers for fourth in the West.

Questions to answer

Who will win the battle on the glass?

Can the Clippers get inside?

We are going to compare the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks in an attempt to see who has the edge in this matchup.

The Mavs Will Want to Win the Glass

The Mavericks are a fine rebounding team. While the are fifteenth in the league in overall rebounds per game, they are third in rebounds allowed (42.4).

While the Clippers are a team that likes to attack the rim, it will be the Mavericks goal to not allow their opponent to receive second chances of any kind while trying to manufacture their own.

If the Clippers bigs can’t keep up with the Mavericks front court-Jordan, Powell, Kleber-it may be a long night for Los Angeles being forced to defend multiple possessions.

The Clippers Attack Defenders

The Los Angeles Clippers attack the rim like few teams in the NBA. Currently ranked first in free throw attempts per game and free throws made, the Clippers like to attack defences off the dribble and in the paint.

With capable isolation players like Tobias Harris and Lou Williams, the Clippers always have a playmaker on the court to fall back on. Even the addition of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been a benefit for the team as his quickness adds a needed dimension to the Clippers lineup.

The Mavericks are an athletic team that have one of the leagues premier shot-blockers in former Clipper DeAndre Jordan. It will not be enough to try and beat the Mavericks in isolation, so look for the Clippers to make a concerted effort to move to the ball in an attempt to drag Jordan out of the paint.

Dallas Mavericks Roster Notes

G J.J. Barea (ankle) is questionable for the match.

F Maxi Kleber (toe) is questionable for the match.

F Dirk Nowitzki (ankle) is day to day and a game time decision.

G Dennis Smith (wrist) did not play against the Nuggets on Tuesday and is unlikely to play against the Clippers.

Los Angeles Clippers Roster Notes

G Lou Williams (hamstring) is expected to miss two weeks of action before he is reevaluated.

G Jerome Robinson (foot) is out indefinitely.

F Luc Mbah a Toute (knee) is out indefinitely.

DeAndre Jordan Returns

In what will be a type of homecoming for DeAndre Jordan, the Mavericks will be looking to steal a win from a team ahead of them in the standings. The Clippers are a diverse and skilled team, but there are few who can stand up to Jordan in the paint.

Jordan is putting together a commendable season averaging 11 points and rebounds on the season while contributing 2.4 blocks per game as well. Not only has he been able to play to his strengths, Jordan has improved his free-throw shooting by a staggering 17% (58% in 17-18 to 75% this season) to show he still has much to offer.

Jordan no longer has the playmaking talent of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to spoon-feed him field goals. Luckily for Jordan, he’s athletic enough to keep up with today’s NBA and can bully most anyone on the offensive boards. Look for Jordan to have a big game as he visits his former home.

Tobias Harris, Star?

Tobias Harris has come a long way from the skinny, tweener forward that he was when he was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2011. Once merely and athletic energy player, Harris has proven himself to be a dependable scoring option from anywhere on the court.

Tobias Harris is currently averaging a career high in points (21.5 PPG) while shooting an impressive 57% from the field and 40% from three. Harris has shown improved decision-making while not sacrificing the blue-collar work ethic that made him a valuable piece.

Harris will have a physical advantage over most defenders in the NBA let alone on the Mavericks. He will have to be careful at the rim though as the likes of DeAndre Jordan and even Salah Mejri can challenge the young combo-forward with the best of them.

Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Clippers Predictions and Odds

The odds makers have the Los Angeles Clippers favoured over the Dallas Mavericks by 3, with an over/under of 110.