LA Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks Game One Preview and Prediction

It's finally here.

Later tonight, the No. 2 LA Clippers (49-23) will officially begin their NBA title chase when they take on the No. 7 Dallas Mavericks (43-32) in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Things will obviously look a lot different — with no fans, and, in turn, no homecourt advantage, the dynamic of each series could change significantly. That said, the on-court intensity should remain the same, and when the Clippers have played tougher teams this season, they've brought the energy.

LA has played particularly good basketball against Dallas this year, sweeping the season series 3-0 — including a 15-point victory in the bubble less than two weeks ago.

That said, Dallas is a historically great offensive team and is far from being the seventh-best squad in the Western Conference. So without further ado, let's break down what we should expect to see in the series opener.

Key Matchups

Dallas: Luka Doncic vs. LA's Defense

Luka Doncic is a star. That much is clear.

The 21-year-old phenom came close to averaging a triple-double on the season, and he, like many others, played terrific basketball in the bubble, averaging 30.0 points, 10.1 rebounds and 9.7 assists across seven games.

That said, if any team is built to handle a player like Doncic, it's the LA Clippers.

With top-tier wing defenders in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George and one of the league's best defensive point guards in Patrick Beverley, LA has the freedom to throw a multitude of looks at Doncic on that end of the floor.

On top of that, the Clippers have an elite rim protector under the basket in Ivica Zubac, who will help deter Doncic from attacking the paint.

He'll certainly still get his, as all great players do, but the Clippers aren't going to let him get comfortable. Expect frequent double-teams, and look for LA to force him into the mid-range and awkward three-point attempts.

LA: Kawhi Leonard and Paul George vs. Dallas' Defense

If there's one thing Dallas lacks, it's a player that can slow down the game's best wings. Dorian Finney-Smith is a plus defender, but he's been no match for Kawhi Leonard or Paul George all season long — and the Clippers are going to exploit that matchup as much as possible.

On the year, the duo has combined to score 56.0 points per game against the Mavs. That number should only go up in the playoffs as each player spends more time on the floor.

Ultimately, Dallas' lack of an answer for Leonard and George will be the difference in this series.

X-Factors

Dallas: Kristaps Porzingis

Like Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis has taken things up a notch in the bubble. The seven-foot-three-inch big was named to the NBA's All-Bubble Team after averaging 30.5 points and 9.5 rebounds and shooting 38.1% from three-point range across six games.

The Mavs are going to need that version of Porzingis to show up on a nightly basis against the Clippers in this series to have a real shot, and that just hasn't happened this season.

He did go for 30 points and nine boards against LA on Aug. 6, but throughout the season series, Porzingis averaged just 18.3 points with a -17 net rating.

The Clippers will need Zubac to play strong, disciplined defense in the paint, but they can't rely on him to cover Porzingis on the perimeter — he's just not quick enough to keep up with him. Marcus Morris Sr. may be the answer there, but it could take a few games for LA to figure out what works and what doesn't if Porzingis continues playing this well.

LA: Health

The Clippers have struggled to maintain a healthy roster all year long, and unfortunately, it looks as though that'll continue into the postseason.

As of Sunday afternoon, Patrick Beverley, Landry Shamet and Montrezl Harrell are all considered questionable for Game 1. The indication seems to be that Harrell will be good to go, but we likely won't know about Beverley and Shamet until we get closer to tip.

LA can take Dallas without that trio, but without them, this series could go from being four or five games to six or seven.

Prediction

Game 1 is competitive through three quarters until Leonard, George and Lou Williams blow things up in the fourth. LA wins 132-115.

How to Watch

The LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks will tip-off at 9:00 p.m. ET. The game will air on ESPN and Fox Sports Prime Ticket.

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