LA Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction & Match Preview - May 30th, 2021 | Game 4, 2021 NBA Playoffs
The LA Clippers produced a remarkable comeback in game 3 of their NBA playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks. They had made a poor start and were down by 19 points in the first quarter. But Kawhi Leonard and Paul George came alive in the second quarter and led their team to a 118-108 victory.
For the Dallas Mavericks, Luka Doncic fought spiritedly and finished with 44 points, 9 assists and 9 rebounds. However, he wasn’t supported well by his teammates with Kristaps Porzingis having a terrible shooting night. Tim Hardaway Jr. converted 4 of his 6 three pointers but went 0-10 from inside the arc.
Match Details
Fixture – LA Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks | Game 4, 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Date & Time - Sunday, May 30th; 9:30 PM ET (Monday, May 31stth; 7:00 AM IST).
Venue - American Airlines Center, Dallas, Tx
LA Clippers Preview
The LA Clippers had an all-round decent night in game 3 and will now be looking to tie the series. Kawhi Leonard top-scored with 36 points and went 13 of 17 from the field. The Clippers were impressive from the free throw line and got 16 of their 17 shots on target.
The LA Clippers were more efficient from the 3-point zone with Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson getting 3, and 4 attempts on target. They were defensively astute throughout and produced their most impressive performance of the series so far.
Serge Ibaka did not play a part last time around and is doubtful for game 4 as well. The likes of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard were commanding in game 3, and had ample support from the rest of the lineup.
Key Player – Kawhi Leonard
Leonard was at his very best in game 3 and was the most efficient shooter on the day. He was influential throughout the four quarters on both ends of the court with the Clippers seeing one of the best combined efforts from Leonard and Paul George. George produced 22 of his 29 points in the first half while Leonard did not miss a single of his 7 free throws.
He had 6 defensive rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal as well, and looked determined to prove a point. For the LA Clippers, their two best stars looked close to their best in game 3. The two were also helped due to Reggie Jackson’ inclusion in the lineup in place of Patrick Beverley. Jackson finished with 16 points and 4 assists and could have easily scored more than 20.
LA Clippers Predicted Lineup
Point Guard – Reggie Jackson | Shooting Guard - Paul George | Small Forward - Kawhi Leonard | Power Forward - Marcus Morris | Center - Ivica Zubac
Dallas Mavericks Preview
The Dallas Mavericks will be hoping for an improved performance from their second star Kristaps Porzingis. The LA Clippers did well to restrict both Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr. to around 30% from the field, as Jalen Brunson came off the bench and got 4 of his 6 3-pointers on target.
The Dallas Mavericks got only 21 of their 39 free throws on target and will be ruing the missed chance to gain a 3-0 lead in the series. They were punished by Leonard, in particular, who became the only player apart from LaMarcus Aldridge to score at least 35 points with more than 67% shooting in consecutive playoff matches.
The Dallas Mavericks will be looking at their role players to better support Doncic, who has been in magical form.
Key Player – Luka Doncic
A crowded Dallas Mavericks’ arena saw plenty of Luka magic in game 3 as the star man fought a lonely fight and finished with 44 points, 9 assists and 9 rebounds. Doncic had a total of 28 field goal attempts on the night and was virtually involved in every good spell that the Mavericks had.
He was inconsistent from the free throw line and only got 7 of his 13 attempts on target. He was found wanting for support, with no other player scoring more than 14 points on the night for the Dallas Mavericks.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Luka Doncic | Shooting Guard - Tim Hardaway Jr. | Small Forward - Dorian Finney-Smith | Power Forward - Kristaps Porzingis | Center - Maxi Kleber
Clippers vs Mavericks Prediction
The LA Clippers sprung to life in game 3 and have given themselves a decent chance to stage a comeback. The Dallas Mavericks had a bad offensive night the last time around except for Doncic.
They stayed in the game due to their star man, and will be hoping for better performances from their role players in the coming matches. The LA Clippers will be looking to make things difficult for the Mavericks’ offense again. Regardless, the Dallas Mavericks appear to be the slight favorites to win the matchup.
Where to watch the Clippers vs Mavericks game?
The live telecast of the LA Clippers vs Dallas Mavericks game will be available on the Bally Sports Local and Bally Sports Southwest networks, as well as on ESPN. The matchup can also be streamed live on the NBA League Pass.