LA Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 20/04/2024, 15:32  by Joseph King | Modified on 21/04/2024 at 07:30 in NBA Prediction

The first round of the Western Conference playoffs sees two familiar foes going at it as the fourth seed LA Clippers host the fifth seed Dallas Mavericks. The Clippers ended the regular season with a 51-31 record, putting them six games behind leaders OKC. Dallas finished the year just behind their opponents with a 50-32 record. This marks the third time in the last five years that these two teams have faced off in the playoffs. Los Angeles won the previous two meetings, both of which occurred in the first round.

At one point, the Clippers looked like they would finish top of the West. They had ripped off 23 wins from 28 games from December 2023 to February 2024. They have cooled off since then and finished the regular season with six wins from their last 10 games. The Clippers enter the playoffs on a three-game losing streak, although they rested their star players for the majority of those contests. The big news around the Clippers camp is the status of superstar Kawhi Leonard. The 32-year-old has missed the team’s last eight games and is listed as questionable for game one of this series with a knee injury.

It’s been a fine season for the Mavericks who return to the playoffs after their 11th-place finish last year. They enter the postseason on a two-game losing streak, although they rested their superstar backcourt of Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic in both games. Prior to that, the Mavs had won five in a row while holding the opposition to an average of 106.1 points per game during that stretch. The Clippers will have to find a way to neutralize Luka Doncic after putting together another jaw-dropping season statistically. The 25-year-old is an MVP candidate with a statline of: 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game while shooting a career-high 38.2% from deep.