Clippers-Mavericks Game 1 Set for Saturday
The NBA announced on Tuesday morning via their communications Twitter account that the LA Clippers will begin their first-round playoff series with the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, May 22.
The tweet did not specify a time for the game, or any of the other seven matchups taking place over the weekend, but it did list the LA-Dallas game as third on the docket for Saturday’s games (though it is unclear if this ordering was intentional).
The NBA might be waiting to announce game times until the play-in tournament has been resolved. Three of the league’s biggest markets (the Los Angeles Lakers, the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics) will be featured in the tournament, and it stands to reason that the NBA would like to feature these teams in as optimal of time slots as possible should they advance.
The Clippers will have had five days off by the time their series begins. Unlike the no. 1 and 2 seeds in each conference, the Clippers already know who they will be facing, and have time to game-plan for the Mavericks accordingly. There are no back-to-backs in the postseason, so the Clippers should be able to tax their core players with heavy minutes without fear of exhaustion.
Games 1 and 2 of the series will take place in Los Angeles at Staples Center, where a limited number of fans will be in attendance.
The Clippers defeated these same Mavericks back in last year’s playoffs, winning their first-round matchup in six games.
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