The Dallas Mavericks take on the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 of one of the best playoff matchups in the West. It’s time to continue our NBA Playoff odds series and make a Mavericks-Clippers prediction and pick.
The Mavericks come in hot off their upset in Game 1, and have now won three of their last four games dating back to the regular season.
The Clippers will be looking to regroup after the shock loss and even the series up. Los Angeles has now lost three straight games after opening their postseason flat.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Mavericks-Clippers odds for Game 2.
NBA Odds: Mavericks-Clippers Odds
Los Angeles Clippers -7 (-110)
Dallas Mavericks +7 (-110)
Over 215 Points (-110)
Under 215 Points (-110)
Why The Mavericks Could Cover The Spread
The Mavericks have played well against the Clippers all season and are now trending in the right direction.
Dallas took the regular seasons series two games to one, including a blowout win in March where both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George played.
Defensively, the Mavericks have done an excellent job at slowing the Clippers star duo. In the regular season, the Mavs held Paul George to 19-51 from the field, and Leonard never topped 22 points against Dallas.
Kawhi ended up scoring 26 in Game 1, but the Mavs held George to yet another poor shooting night as PG13 finished only 8-18 from the field.
Dallas finished their season with solid defensive statistics, holding opponents to the ninth least points per game and the ninth lowest field goal percentage. The Mavs will aim to replicate Game 1 on the defensive end and keep the Clippers stars from finding their groove.
On the offensive end, Dallas will continue to lean on Luka Doncic. The young star wasn't particularly sharp in Game 1 and only shot 11-24 from the field, but finished with 31 points and a triple-double.
Luka has terrorized the Clippers in the postseason before. Everyone remembers his iconic game-winner in the bubble, and he was lighting the Clips up all series. Doncic finished the six game set with averages of 31.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 8.7 assists, all while shooting 50% from the field and 36.4% from deep.
Doncic is going to get his. The Mavs just need one or two role players to step up and they have a great shot at getting yet another upset.
In Game 1, it was Dorian Finney-Smith. The three-and-D wing shot 7-9 from the field and hit 4-5 of his threes, including a back-breaker in the fourth quarter.
There are plenty of options for the Mavs as to who will play second fiddle to Luka. Kristaps Porzingis is a popular choice, as is Tim Hardaway Jr. As long as Dallas gets some help from their role players against a tough Clippers defense, they'll be in great shape.
Why The Clippers Could Cover The Spread
The Clippers should come out tonight looking to make a statement. Sports talk shows and pundits are leaping at the chance to declare the Clips overrated, lacking the playoff mentality, or just simply cursed. Skip Bayless claimed the Clippers season will be decided by the result in Game 2.
While there might be a touch of hyperbole in that statement, Tyronn Lue and company know that going down 0-2 and having to hit the road makes it nearly impossible to win a series. They should come out locked in and guns blazing tonight, as opposed to their soft, uncaring start to Game 1.
The Clippers will have the desperation factor working in their favor tonight, and should have the statistical factor as well. Overall, Los Angeles was the far superior team to Dallas in the regular season.
Defensively, the Clips ranked higher than the Mavericks by allowing less points, free throws and offensive rebounds. Los Angeles held opponents to less points per game and a lower three-point percentage than Dallas.
The Clippers might have an even bigger edge on the offensive end. They scored more points, shot better from the field and from three, got more offensive rebounds and handed out more assists than the Mavericks.
So how did Dallas steal Game 1 if the Clips were far superior? The answer is three-point shooting.
The Clippers shot just 27.5% from three in Game 1 while the Mavs shot 47.2%. In the regular season, the Clippers were the best three-point shooting team in the NBA and averaged 41.1% shooting from three, while the Mavericks averaged only 36.2% and ranked 18th best.
The odds that the entire Los Angeles team goes ice cold from range again is nearly zero, especially considering the Mavericks don't guard the three-point line considerably well. Look for the Clippers shooters to find their groove and come out hot early.
Final Mavericks-Clippers Prediction & Pick
The Clippers came out extremely lackadaisical in Game 1, as if they thought they'd get an easy win. Now that the Mavs have woken them up, I expect L.A. to come out determined not to be embarrassed on their home floor yet again. Their whole team is probably sick of hearing how the Clippers choke in the postseason and can't be trusted come playoff time. If they lose tonight, those statements become even more valid. Kawhi Leonard and company won't allow that. Give me the Clippers to cover tonight with their backs against the wall in Staples Center.
FINAL PICK: LAC 113, DAL 102 (LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS -7)
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