Mavericks Ready for NBA Playoff Success
Ride With Dallas Per Our Mavericks vs Clippers Preview
The NBA playoffs tip off for the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
We have a Mavericks vs Clippers preview for the best-of-seven series, where the winner will be well-placed in the Western Conference.
Our NBA best bets look at which team is better suited to playing postseason basketball.
Mavericks vs Clippers 
Records: Dallas Mavericks (50-32), L.A. Clippers (51-31)
Day/Time: Starts
Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA (Game 1)
Streams: ABC, TNT, ESPN
D-Day for Dallas
The Mavericks have suffered plenty of poor playoff series losses over the last few years, but there are no excuses now. With Kyrie Irving on the team to support Luka Doncic, they at least have enough offense to compete with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George of the Clippers.
Doncic had an incredible regular season with 33.9 points per game, and that’s tough to overlook. He was dynamic, once again, for the Mavericks, and having Irving is a big help.
When Doncic used to go off the court for rest, the Mavericks would be hammered on the offensive end. That’s no longer a problem, but we would like to see some defense, and it’s all about attitude.
Our Mavericks vs Clippers preview must focus on defense because the Mavericks don’t always try their hardest. It’s their weak point, but motivation should be high in the NBA playoffs. They got to fifth in the West NBA standings, one spot behind the Clippers. However, they are -140 favorites to knock out the Clippers, who are also familiar with disappointing when it counts.
Despite starting the series on the road, the Mavericks should feel confident being able to handle the Clippers. There is more depth to the Clippers roster, but they don’t have two of the most exciting players in the NBA, and that could make the difference.
Pressure on Clippers
We think there is more pressure on the Clippers to win the series, but having a home-court advantage helps. They were always going to avoid the NBA play-in schedule, so they haven’t had to worry too much in 2024. However, losing playoff series has been the modus operandi for the Clippers over the last few years.
It’s not a positive for the Clippers, especially against the Mavericks. However, experience and class can’t be overlooked. Having Leonard is a massive bonus, and he was good enough to lead the Toronto Raptors to NBA glory, which is hard to do.
Our Mavericks vs Clippers preview isn’t looking too much into their recent form. They lost three in a row leading into the playoffs, but they were keeping their eyes on what the Mavericks were doing.
Having Ivica Zubac in the middle could make a difference. He averages 9.2 rebounds per game, and he’s the only true center playing in the series. The Clippers can play through him in the paint, which will leave the outsider shooters open. The Mavericks rely more on ball handling, so it could be a clash of styles. They won two of three regular-season meetings, but the last game came in December, and a lot of water has gone under the bridge since.
Mavericks Take Nail-biting Series
We predict the Mavericks to extend their playoff run with a 4-3 win over the Clippers. It could easily come down to the final game as there is little separating these NBA teams, who have a lot of pressure on their shoulders. Losing in the first round will likely see them disband, so there is a lot at stake when they tip off on Sunday.
However, after investing heavily in Irving, we expect the Mavericks to come out ahead and justify their -140 price. We’re not alone in our thinking. The Mavericks opened at -135, so there has been steady betting support for the favorites.
Bettors could also find value in betting on the correct score. Mavericks 4-3 pays handsomely at the sportsbook, and there is also value to be snapped up with NBA prop bets, in particular, NBA player prop bets for the series.
We recommend including Doncic in all bets, including top rebounding to hold off Zubac.
For NBA betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
