Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers Prediction and Match Preview – August 19th, 2020 | Game 2
Match Details
Fixture - Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers
Date & Time - August 19th 9 PM ET (Thursday 6:30 AM IST)
Where - AdventHealth Arena (WWOS), Orlando, Florida
This matchup will see Western Conference heavywieghts,LA Clippers and Dallas Mavericks take each other on in game 2 of the NBA Playoffs 2020 first round. The LA Clippers would like to extend their advantage in this matchup by extending their lead to 2-0 while Dallas Mavericks will be eager to get back level ahead of Game 3.
Game 1 of this series was a closely contested affair that ended 118-110 in favour of the LA Clippers. The Dallas Mavericks had several chances to steal this one however, a questionable technical foul call Kristaps Porziņģis left them out of sorts in the fourth quarter.
Dallas Mavericks Preview
Dallas Mavericks had entered this playoff series as one of the lower seeded teams who had the ability to seriously threaten their higher seeded opponents. Led by the international duo of Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, Dallas Mavericks have managed to upset some of the top teams in the league during the regular season.
After getting off to a rough start in the first quarter they rallied and hustled to end the first half with a five point lead. Dallas Mavericks shot the ball well including bench player Seth Curry who stepped up at crucial junctures. Dallas Mavericks would like to improve upon their ball security in this matchup and will hope to even up this series against LA Clippers.
Key player – Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic is paving his way to become one of the NBA’s biggest stars. The sharp shooting Slovenian scored 42 points converting 13 of his 21 shots and set the record for most points by player on his NBA playoff debut. This was the second time Luka Doncic has made history in the NBA bubble. The first was against Sacramento Kings where he became the youngest player to put up 30 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists.
The Dallas Mavericks need Luka Doncic to have another monster game if they are to have any chance of drawing level in this NBA Playoff series. After the defeat in Game 1, Luka Doncic spoke to the media about the need to improve on his ball security given up that he had 11.
Dallas Mavericks predicted lineup
Tim Hardaway Jr., Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber
LA Clippers Preview
The LA Clippers narrowly avoided defeat in Game 1 and were benefitted by poor refereeing decisions. A questionable technical foul call on Kristaps Porzingis in the third quarter turned the game around and was a huge boost to the LA Clippers. Even though the Clippers managed to take an early lead in the match, they would have been worried at how they allowed Dallas Mavericks to come into the game, so much so that the Los Angeles team went into the half time trailing.
Not surprisingly it was LA Clippers roster depth that helped stay in the game and even gave them a winning shot entering the fourth quarter. Additionally, Ivica Zubac had a great night and put up a double-double. Ultimately, it was the 56 points contribution from Paul George and Kawhi Leonard that pushed them past the finish line. LA Clippers are entering Game 2 with the momentum and would like to extend their series lead further.
Key player – Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard is looking to win back-to-back NBA championships with two different teams. The LA Clippers have ensured that Kawhi Leonard was well rested throughout the season given that he has been plagued by injuries in the past, they were wary of the risks of playing him too much.
Kawhi Leonard finished Game 1 with 29 points, 6 assists and 12 rebounds and led the charge for the LA Clippers. He also showed off his defensive abilities and was the primary reason for the Dallas Maverick’s 21 turnovers.
LA Clippers predicted lineup
Patrick Beverly, Paul George, Marcus Morris, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac
Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers: Predictions
The LA Clippers are favoured to win this matchup and take a 2-0 series lead against Dallas Mavericks. That being said, Dallas Mavericks can take a lot of encouragement from their Game 1 performance, and there is no doubt that going ahead they will prove to real challengers to the LA Clippers. Game 1 saw the Dallas Mavericks commit quite a few errors, which were largely due to their inexperience in the Playoffs and they would hope not to repeat these mistakes again in Game 2.
The LA Clippers performed great on the defensive end of the floor and were complimented by diverse scoring from Lou Williams, Paul George, Kawhi and Marcus Morris. Additionally, Ivica Zubac is looking like the LA Clippers long-term fix at the center position and has really elevated his game. This matchup will definitely be a close contest and hopefully will be officiated better.
Where to watch Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers?
Live coverage of the Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers can be seen on TNT. The same will be broadcast nationwide in the US on ESPN. You can also live-stream the fixture via NBA League Pass.
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