Clippers Look To Finish Off Banged-Up Mavs

Los Angeles dealt Dallas a huge body blow Tuesday with a 43-point victory, and the Clips can deliver the knock-out punch in Game 6. LA has covered seven of the last nine meetings.

Sportsbook Odds Analysis

The Clippers’ dismantling of Dallas on Tuesday night and Doncic’s uncertain status caused this line to soar to double digits within a few hours of Sportsbook. Meanwhile, the Sportsbook total of 238 is the highest in the series, hardly a surprise after the last four games flew over by double-digit margins. Dallas and Los Angeles have gone 17-4 to the OVER in their last 21 games combined.

Los Angeles News & Notes

A lot went right for the Clippers in Tuesday’s blowout, but the biggest bright spot was the breakout performance by Paul George. The all-star guard scored 35 points in just 25 minutes, hitting 12 of 18 shots from the field — including four of eight from downtown — and all seven of his free throw attempts. George, who acknowledged after the game that he’s struggled with depression and anxiety in the bubble, had shot 29 percent in the first four games of the series.

Nearly all of George’s teammates also had a field day as LA set franchise playoff records for points, made three-pointers and margin of victory. The Clippers may be best known as a defensive team, but they’ve now put up 130-plus points in three straight games and eclipsed 120 in seven of their last 10. After going UNDER in their first two games in the bubble, the Clips have gone OVER in nine of their last 11.

Dallas News & Notes

Avenging a 43-point loss and trying to stave off elimination should already provide plenty of motivation for the Mavericks. But Dallas may be even more fired up after the Clippers’ Marcus Morris stepped on Doncic’s sprained ankle early in the second half, a move that appeared deliberate. “I saw it. I certainly hope that wasn’t the case. That’s all I’ll say about it,” Mavs coach Rick Carlisle told the Dallas Morning News.

A silver lining in the lopsided loss was that Doncic, who received treatment on the ankle throughout the game, played just 31 minutes. However, the superstar was should be good to go for Game 6 but the injury to Kristaps Porzingis might be too much to overcome. Porzingis has been ruled out for the remainder of the playoffs with a torn meniscus.

Betting Pick: Mavericks +10

The Mavs will be severely undermanned without Porzingis but I’ll still roll the dice on Dallas. This series was fiercely competitive before Game 5 and I’m expecting Dallas to bounce back with a Sportsbooky effort — with or without some of its top talent in the lineup.