Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Clippers Prediction, Preview, and Odds
The NBA offers up a six-game slate on Saturday, and we have a thrilling Western Conference tilt as the Dallas Mavericks square off against the Los Angeles Clippers. Dallas entered this contest at 10-5 while Los Angeles was heading into Friday’s game at 6-7. Tip-off is scheduled for 10:30 ET from crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA.
This preview was posted prior to the conclusion of Los Angeles’ Friday night game.
Mavericks Snap Two-Game Slide, Beat Lakers
Dallas is looking like one of the better teams in the Western Conference this season under head coach Jason Kidd. The Mavs are currently 10-5, which is good enough for fourth place in the Western Conference. The oddsmakers aren’t too confident that the Mavs will make noise in the postseason as they’re just +2500 to win the title. Those are the ninth-shortest odds in the Association. As for the game-level gambling numbers, Dallas comes into Saturday’s game at 8-7 ATS and they’ve seen 11 of their 15 games go over the total.
Dallas was able to snap a two-game slide in their recent game, defeating the Lakers 104-101. They almost coughed up the lead as they were outscored 30-13 in the final quarter. As for the whole game, the Mavs won the turnover battle (4 to 13) but were outshot from both the field (39.6% to 46.4%) and from the three-point range (32.0% to 37.9%), and they lost the battle on the glass (48 rebounds to 51).
Individually, Luka Doncic is on fire this season. He trails only Nikola Jokic (+190) in terms of MVP betting odds at +500. Doncic leads the team in scoring (30.5 PPG), rebounds (8.3 RPG), assists (8.1 APG), and steals (1.2 SPG). Kyrie Irving has also contributed this year, adding 24.3 points per contest.
Clippers Picking Up Steam, Win Three Straight
The James Harden era in Los Angeles got off to a rough start as the Clippers ended up going through a stretch where they dropped six straight games. However, Tyronn Lue’s squad is trending in the right direction once again, winning its last three games. Those victories came against the Rockets (106-100) and the Spurs twice (124-99, 109-102). It is worth noting that Los Angeles will be playing on Friday night against the Pelicans in Los Angeles, so this will be a back-to-back scenario. From a sports betting perspective, the Clippers are 5-8 ATS and they’ve gone 8-4-1 to the under this season.
The second of the two games against the Spurs was a bit closer, and that makes sense when you’re playing a team for the second time in a couple of days. The Clippers dominated in most major categories, including field goal percentage (45.9% to 38.5%), three-point shooting (32.1% to 28.9%), and rebounds (50 to 44).
Individually, the aforementioned Harden is scoring 16.0 points per game while dishing out a team-leading 5.9 assists per game. Paul George is the team’s leading scorer, averaging 24.8 points per contest. The forward also leads the way with 2.2 steals per night.
Best Bets
Full-Game Side Bet
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There’s going to be a ton of star power on the court on Saturday, which makes this NBA nightcap a must-watch game. As for my best bet, I’m going to ride with the Mavericks to cover the spread. For starters, the Clippers will enter this game on the second night of a back-to-back. They’re a veteran lineup, and that could take a toll on them – especially against this high-paced Mavericks team. Los Angeles is a solid defensive team, but I expect them to let up a little bit due to playing for the second night in a row. Furthermore, I’m not quite buying the Clippers yet. They have rattled off three straight wins, but those wins have come against the bottom feeders of Houston and San Antonio (twice). Ultimately, the Mavs are well-rested, and they’re the more well-rounded team.
I’ll ride with Dallas.
Prediction: Dallas Mavericks To Cover
Full-Game Total Pick
Rating:
I am playing the over in this spot. There’s way too much star power on the court for this game to go under. Dallas is already one of the best offenses in the Association, ranking third in offensive efficiency. They’re scoring 117.2 points per 100 possessions. Also, they have a guy named Luka Doncic, who has a serious chance to win an MVP this season. This lineup will find ways to score points. Where the Mavericks are soft this season is their defense. They’re ranked 24th in defensive efficiency, allowing 116.0 points per 100 possessions. With scorers like Paul George, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, and Russell Westbrook, they should thrash this Dallas defense. From a trends perspective, it’s worth noting that Dallas has seen 11 of its 15 games go over the total.
Let’s sit back and root for points on Saturday – give me the over!
