Dallas Mavericks vs. LA Clippers Date and Time: Thursday, June 3,2021 7:30 AM IST Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles Prediction: LA Clippers Bookmaker: 1xbet
Championship hopefuls the LA Clippers host the Dallas Mavericks at the Staples Center in Game 5 of the first round of their Western Conference NBA playoffs matchup.
The LA Clippers won Game 4 at the American Airlines Center, seizing control of the series. Kawhi Leonard was the star of the show, as the two-time NBA champion scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 106-81 win.
The Dallas Mavericks’ success in the series has completely depended on Luka Doncic, who has arguably been the best player of the matchup so far. However, he had a relatively poor outing in Game 4, mainly due to a neck problem. With two days of complete rest, head coach Rick Carlisle will be hoping that the Slovenian star is back to his best in Game 5.
Kristaps Porzingis’ poor performances have hurt the Dallas Mavericks. The Latvian power forward has averaged just 15 points and a dismal four rebounds per game. In the two losses in Game 3 and 4, Porzingis scored 9 and 18 points, respectively.
The Dallas Mavericks shot 5-30 from deep in Game 4 and will have to improve that number significantly if they are to steal Game 5 on the road.
Re-inserting Reggie Jackson into the starting lineup has helped Tyronn Lue steady the ship, as the LA Clippers have won both games in which the point guard has started. Kawhi Leonard’s form and the LA Clippers’ 3-point shooting improvement have also been major factors in them tying the series 2-2 after going 2-0 down.
The result of the game will depend on Luka Doncic’s fitness level. The Dallas Mavericks have a great chance of winning the clash if he is at 100%. But that looks unlikely, which makes the LA Clippers favorites to win Game 5.
