Mavericks Hosting Kawhi & Clippers as 1.5-Point Favorites in Tuesday’s Only NBA Game
- The Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks clash on Tuesday night (Jan. 21, 8:30 PM ET)
- LA has won three straight, while Dallas is riding a four-game winning streak
- The Clippers beat the Mavs 114-99 in Dallas in their only meeting this season
The Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks clash Tuesday night (Jan. 21, 8:30 pm ET) in what’s bound to be must see TV.
Both teams enter this marquee tilt riding multi-game winning streaks, and it’s the hometown Mavs who opened as a short home favorite.
Los Angeles Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks Odds
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| LA Clippers | +101 | +1.5 (-110) | Over 231.5 (-110) |
| Dallas Mavericks | -121 | -1.5 (-110) | Under 231.5 (-110) |
Odds taken Jan. 21st.
Dallas has won four straight and has beaten the spread in three of its past four. They’re 16-13-2 ATS this season as a favorite, and 14-9-1 against the number versus teams from the West.
LA, meanwhile, has victories in three straight but has struggled as an underdog on the road. They’ve covered just twice as the away team when getting points, losing most recently in that scenario at Denver.
Despite the setback in the Rocky Mountain air, the Clippers have been one of the hottest teams in the league. They’ve won 23 of 31 and Kawhi Leonard is playing at one of the highest levels of his career.
Leonard Playing at MVP Level
Leonard has been a force all season, but he’s raised his game significantly in Paul George’s absence. George has missed the last five games with a hamstring injury and has already been ruled out for Tuesday’s tilt in Dallas. Without George in the lineup, Leonard has averaged 36 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.8 steals per outing.
Finally Kawhi Leonard Jordan is back to the player that he was in the post season last year and taking over games and being dominant like we all been waiting on. These type of performances are why we had in the conversation last year as the best player in the league!!!
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) January 17, 2020
Last time out in New Orleans, Kawhi poured in 39 versus the Pelicans, rallying the Clippers from eight points down in the fourth to steal a 133-130 win. He’s scored at least 30 points in five straight, and a week ago he dropped 43 on the Cavaliers.
Aside from Leonard, LA has relied heavily on its bench for offense in George’s absence. Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams combined for 56 points against New Orleans, and LA leads the NBA in bench points this season.
The Clippers will need all the offense they can get versus the Mavericks, as only the Rockets produce more points per game than Dallas in the West.
Help Is on the Way
Last Friday, the Mavs put up 120 points for the 17th time this season and their offense is set to get a big boost with the return of Kristaps Porzingis. The 7-footer has missed the last 10 games with a knee injury, and his presence gives Dallas a reliable, secondary scoring threat alongside Luka Doncic.
Luka is ludicrous. 35 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 massive shots down the stretch to clinch the win for the Mavericks. Blows my mind a 20-year-old is doing this seemingly every single game. And Doncic is only getting better. pic.twitter.com/sDG3fcs3YW
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) January 18, 2020
Doncic’s incredible sophomore campaign is showing no signs of slowing down, and last time out he splashed eight three’s en route to a 35 point, 8 rebound, 7 assist performance versus Portland. He has three triple-doubles in January alone, and 13 on the season in just 38 games.
He’s been virtually unstoppable all season, but one of the few blips on the radar did come in the lone meeting between these two teams.
Can LAC Silence Doncic and the Mavs Again?
Back on November 26, the Clippers handed the Mavericks a 114-99 defeat in Dallas. It was one of only two times the Mavs have been held under 100 points all season, and Dallas shot a season-low 38 percent. LA did a masterful job on Doncic, holding him to 28% from the floor and 0-for-7 from three.
The problem is George was a big part of the Clippers success that night. He was instrumental in helping LA shut down Doncic, and he also chipped in 26 points at the other end. Without him, the Clippers defense simply isn’t as strong as evidenced by the 130 points they surrendered in New Orleans.
LA has actually given up 130 or more points in three of its past seven, and with Porzingis back in the Dallas lineup, look for the Mavericks to outlast the Clippers in a high scoring affair.
Pick: Dallas -1.5 (-110)
As SBD's resident Swiss Army Knife, Chris covers virtually every sport including NFL, PGA, NBA, MLB, NCAAB, NCAAF and the Olympics. A true grinder, he'd rather pick off small edges in the player props market than swing for the fences with a 5-leg parlay.
