The Dallas Mavericks look to knot their best-of-seven 2024 NBA playoff series at 1-1 when they meet the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round matchup on Tuesday. Los Angeles opened the series with a 109-97 win on Sunday. The fifth-seeded Mavericks (50-32) have played well on the road this season and were 25-16 away from home during the regular season. The fourth-seeded Clippers (51-31) were 25-16 on their home court. Although a game-time decision, the Clippers' Kawhi Leonard took part in practice on Monday and could play.
Tip-off from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles is set for 10 p.m. ET. Dallas leads the all-time series 105-82, but Los Angeles holds a 9-5 edge in the postseason, including winning the two previous playoff series. The Mavericks are 2.5-point favorites in the latest Mavericks vs. Clippers odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 216.5. Before making any Clippers vs. Mavericks picks, you'll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters the second week of the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 90-58 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,800. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Los Angeles vs. Dallas and just locked in its picks and NBA playoff predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Clippers vs. Mavericks:
- Mavericks vs. Clippers spread: Dallas -2.5
- Mavericks vs. Clippers over/under: 216.5 points
- Mavericks vs. Clippers money line: Dallas -137, Los Angeles +116
- DAL: The Mavericks have hit the game total under in 39 of their last 58 games (+18.10 units)
- LAC: The Clippers have hit the team total under in 23 of their last 34 games (+10.45 units)
- Mavericks vs. Clippers picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Mavericks can cover
Point guard Luka Doncic helped carry Dallas in the series opener, with 33 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and one steal in Game 1. He has scored 29 or more points in each of the last four games, including a 39-point effort in a 130-104 win at Charlotte on April 9. In that game, he registered a triple double, adding 12 rebounds and 10 assists. He has played well against the Clippers this season. In three regular-season games against them, he averaged 34 points, 6.7 assists, six rebounds and 1.3 steals in 38 minutes.
Point guard Kyrie Irving has been the perfect complement to Doncic. In Sunday's matchup, Irving scored 31 points, while adding seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Over the past five games, he is averaging 29.6 points, including a 48-point effort in a 147-136 overtime win over Houston on April 7. In two regular-season games against the Clippers, Irving averaged 26.5 points, six rebounds, three assists and 1.5 steals in 30 minutes of action. See which team to pick here.
Why the Clippers can cover
Veteran shooting guard James Harden was dominant in Game 1, leading Los Angeles with 28 points, eight assists, two blocks and two rebounds. Harden has reached double-digit scoring in four of the past five games, including a triple-double in a 131-102 win over Utah on April 5. In that game, Harden scored 13 points, dished out 15 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds. In 72 regular-season games, all starts, he averaged 16.6 points, 8.5 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 34.3 minutes.
Forward Paul George poured in 22 points, while adding six rebounds, three assists and one steal in the series opener. In 74 regular season games, all starts, George was solid, averaging 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 33.8 minutes. He has a 28-game streak of reaching double digits, which included a 41-point performance at Charlotte in a 130-118 win on March 31. George reached 18,000 career points on April 9 at Phoenix, becoming one of seven active NBA players with 18,000 points, 5,000 rebounds and 3,000 assists. See which team to pick here.
How to make Clippers vs. Mavericks picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 227 points. The model also says one side hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the model's pick and analysis at SportsLine.
So who Mavericks vs. Clippers, and which side hits in well over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Clippers vs. Mavericks spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that has returned more than $2,800 on its NBA picks this season, and find out.
