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Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Clippers Game 2: Western Conference Playoffs – First round

The Dallas Mavericks are in deep trouble after the opening game of the series against the Los Angeles Clippers and will try to bounce back in Game 2 at the crypto.com Arena in Tuesday.

How far can Luka Doncic lead the Mavs?

The Dallas Mavericks came into the series as slight favorites despite the fact that the Los Angeles Clippers have the home-court advantage. The Mavs scored only 8 points in the second quarter of Game 1, and they found themselves in a deep hole at halftime. Luka Doncic tried to get his team back in the game, but it was too late. The NBA leading scorer dropped 33 points in Game 1, followed by Kyrie Irving with 31. The Mavs shot only 38.8% from the field and 30.3% from deep.

How good are the Clippers without Kawhi Leonard?

The Los Angeles Clippers had a great opener of the series winning 109-97. The final score does not show the dominance the Clippers had in that game. Right before the game, the news broke that Kawhi Leonard would not play, but the rest of the team proved that this Clippers team is ready for big things this season. James Harden led the way with 28 points, Paul George dropped 22 points, and Ivica Zubac had 20 points and 15 rebounds. The Clippers made 18 three-pointers on 50% shooting.

Betting Trends

The Clippers have won 5 of the last 7 games against the Mavericks. The Clippers are 8-4 SU in the last 12 games overall, 6-14 SU in the last 20 games as underdogs and 5-2 SU in the last 7 games played on Tuesday. The Mavericks are 15-5 SU in the last 20 games overall and 13-3 SU in the last 16 games as favorites.

Prediction and Conclusion

This is the third time in five seasons these two teams have faced each other in the playoffs, and the intensity is definitely there. The Clippers played almost a perfect game, and it will be pretty hard to repeat that. Norman Powell stepped in for Kawhi Leonard, and Ivica Zubac played his best offensive game of the season. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were on the needed level but had no help from the rest of the team. Knowing how great competitors these two are, the Mavs will change the momentum and tie the series with a Game 2 win.