* **Q: Who is favored to win?
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NBA / Predictions
The Dallas Mavericks (38-39), fighting to maintain their spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament, face a crucial road test against the Los Angeles Clippers (44-32) at the Intuit Dome tonight. Despite missing key player Kyrie Irvin...
The Mavericks find themselves in a challenging spot, relying heavily on Luka Dončić to carry the offensive load with Kyrie Irving sidelined. Their offense has ranked in the bottom 10 in efficiency recently. They'll face a Clippers defense that excels at protecting the rim (4th best) and defending the mid-range (12th best), areas where Dallas has tried to find points.
However, Dallas has found success through improved defense, ranking 10th in defensive rating over the past couple of weeks and being particularly effective at limiting opponent three-point shooting (7th best). This could be crucial against a Clippers team that relies on its offensive firepower, though that offense has shown slight dips lately. Containing Kawhi Leonard and James Harden will be paramount, likely requiring strong performances from defenders like PJ Washington and smart team defense rotations.
On the other side, the Clippers will look to exploit the Mavs' offensive limitations. Ivica Zubac could play a key role inside, especially if Dallas focuses heavily on perimeter defense. Zubac has averaged 18.5 points over his last eight games. The Clippers' ability to defend without fouling and control the pace will be important.
Injury-wise, the Mavericks are confirmed to be without Kyrie Irving and rookie center Dereck Lively II. The Clippers are missing guard Amir Coffey.
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The Mavericks have been resilient lately, but face a tough test on the road. Do you think Dallas can cover the +9.5/+11 point spread against the Clippers tonight? Let us know your thoughts!
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