X
Skip to content

Clippers Look for First Home Win After Squaring Series

Analyzing the Clippers’ Performance in the Series So Far

And just like that, the LA Clippers are back in the series. A few days after fans and media left them for dead, Kawhi Leonard and his boys roared back and blew out the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 to even the series at 2-2. They return to the Staples Center Wednesday as -320 favorites per the NBA’s Vegas odds.

Luka Doncic is dealing with a neck injury that is hampering his play and the Mavericks will be +260 underdogs. With Doncic’s injury, the Clippers should be able to beat them similarly to how they did last game, and the 7½-point spread shouldn’t be a problem.

Mavericks at Clippers NBA Pick
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images/AFP

Mavericks: When it Rains it Pours

The Dallas Mavericks will look to recapture the fire they had the last time they played in the Staples Center. Dallas shot 58.5% and 52.9% of their 3-pointers. G Tim Hardaway Jr. lit up the Clippers for 28 points on 6-of-8 shooting from deep as they overcame a 41-point night from Leonard.

But the team, which has been the epitome of “hot-and-cold,” has gone ice cold since. Dallas shot 39.4% in its last two games and was limited to 81 points in its Game 4 blowout loss. Hardaway, who averaged 24.5 points in the first two games, scored just 16 points total in Games 3 and 4.

Doncic also had his worst showing in Game 4 where he finished with just 19 points on 9-of-24 shooting. Even worse, he’s only hitting 40.6% of his free throws. If his injury continues to cripple him, the series could be over for Dallas.

Clippers: Recapturing Home

Unlike the Mavericks, the LA Clippers have maintained a steady but effective approach to the series. After opening the playoffs shooting just 44% and 27.5% from three, the Clippers have shot 532/402/857.

Their offense has stayed hot and their defense is getting better as their switch to playing smaller has allowed them to lock down the Mavericks’ outside shooting. Leonard has been unstoppable in his last two games shooting 75% from the field. This isn’t a typo.

In fact, Leonard’s shooting splits here is 750/625/923. Where Dallas has gone cold, Leonard has gone supernova. His teammates have also elevated their game as the Clippers now look to win their first home game of the series.

Pick: Blood in the Water

When everyone dismissed the LA Clippers, they went on an incredible run to tie the series. So could dismissing the Dallas Mavericks here have a similar effect? Unlikely. Doncic, who is 90% of their offense, is being burdened by his injury.

The Clippers have also awakened on both ends of the floor. They’ve figured out how to stop the likes of Hardaway and F/C Maxi Kleber. G Dorian Finney-Smith has vanished since his heroic Game 1 performance. And Kristaps Porzingis has been inconsistent and mostly a non-factor.

The tide has shifted and it will take some hot shooting on Dallas’s part and another defensive collapse from the Clippers for the underdogs to have a shot. The Clippers win and they win big. Bet online on it.

Pick: Los Angeles Clippers – 7½ (-110)

Bonus Pick: All the Way

Except for Game 2, the Clippers led the Mavericks after the first half throughout this series. They ended up winning two of these games and would have won Game 1 if the Mavericks didn’t go nuclear on them.

There will be no unbelievable shooting from Dallas this time but the Clippers should continue to score at will and play tight defense. They’ll lead the Mavericks all the way.

Pick: Double Result – Clippers – Clippers (-145)

Did you find this article interesting?

Comments (0)