The Dallas Mavericks and the LA Clippers kick off their first-round battle in the playoffs this Monday, which will also mark the first time that Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis will get a taste of postseason play. Will the Mavs overcome LA? Or will the Clippers baptize the duo in the playoffs with a loss?
Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis in the playoffs together for the first time. That’s a sight to see for sure, but their lack of experience in this stage is something that could be a bit concerning. That being said, the Mavericks have one of the most experienced coaches around in Rick Carlisle, who’s of course guided Dallas to a title back in 2011. With Carlisle stabilizing Dallas and Doncic and Porzingis spewing fire, this Mavericks team can’t be taken lightly. Doncic is almost averaging a triple-double in Orlando, where he’s recording 30.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.7 assists. Porzingis is making 30.5 points while shooting 38.1 percent from the field since the start of the seeding games. The supporting cast has to step up for Dallas, with the Clippers’ defensive focus clearly on stopping Doncic and Porzingis. To that end, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke can provide the spark on offense along with Seth Curry.
The Clippers have been dealing with personnel issues since the season restarted, with the likes of Montrezl Harrell, Patrick Beverley, and Lou Williams missing games. Harrell is expected to clear quarantine protocols in time for Game 1 of the series against Dallas, but he might take time to re-gel with the team after being out for several days. Beverley remains questionable with a calf injury, while Williams has at least played in some games in Orlando. Harrell’s availability is among the key factors for the Clippers against Dallas, as he’s one of those his team is depending on to defend Porzingis. However, in Harrell’s absence, Ivica Zubac has shown he can fill in nicely for him. Zubac is averaging 11.0 points and 11.1 rebounds in the bubble while giving the Clippers a serviceable presence in the frontcourt. At the end of the day, the Clippers will go as far as where Paul George and Kawhi Leonard take them. George is putting up 24.6 PPG in Orlando, while Leonard is making 29.0 PPG.
The Clippers are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games.
