During the 2020 bubble, in front of a crowd of 0 non-team officials, the Kawhi Leonard/Paul George Clippers and the Luka Doncic Mavericks faced off for the first time. Luka shined bright averaging 30+ PPG. However, LA’s finest ultimately had the Mavericks’ number, winning the series in 6 games. In 2021, they faced off once again, this time in front of adoring crowds. Unfortunately for Dallas, the Clippers once again had their number and bested them in 7 games, ultimately reaching the WCF for the first time in franchise history. It’s been 2 years, but now these old rivals will meet once again in the first round of the playoffs. Who will win the climatic rubber match?
Clippers Face Old Rivals Mavericks for 3rd Time in 5 Years
Clippers Preview
The Clippers have had an interesting season. As is now tradition for this iteration of the Clippers, they have had a rollercoaster of ups and downs. They started off the season with a disastrous 3-7 record after making a blockbuster trade for one-time Houston Hero James Harden. Things looked bleak for the squad after being eliminated in groups in the IST. However, Kawhi and Co. promised to “figure it out” and they did. Between Nov. 14 and Feb. 5, they won 31 of 38 games, stomping over everyone from division rivals to playoff contenders, even briefly capturing the no.1 seed in the West. However, they had an uneven season following the streak. They were dogged by injuries to key players like Leonard, Ivica Zubac, and Harden. In the home stretch of the season, they went 17-16, finishing the season on an inauspicious 3-game losing streak.
Despite limping into the playoffs, this Clippers team is still extremely dangerous, featuring 3 MVP-caliber players in Leonard, George, and Harden. That core 3 is backed up by a strong bench made up of 6MOTY candidate Norman Powell as well as triple-double king Russell Westbrook. That roster is capable of beating anyone and they’ve had Luka and the Mavericks number for years now.
Mavericks Preview
In contrast to the Clippers’ uninspiring home stretch of the season, the Mavericks have been covering themselves in glory down the stretch. They have been red-hot, winning 25 of their last 29 games. Luka has once again put up his now customary MVP-caliber numbers, averaging 33.9 PPG, 9.2 RPG, and 9.8 APG. Joining him is journeyman 2nd option Kyrie Irving, averaging an excellent 25.6 PPG, 5.0 RPG, and 5.2 APG. These aren’t the same Mavericks the Clippers have owned in the past. When they played before, the Mavericks were running out a starting lineup including the likes of the ghost of Dwight Powell, current bench player Tim Hardaway Jr., and pre-breakout Jalen Brunson. These new Mavericks are hungry and ready to prove themselves by avenging their past defeats to the Clippers.
Matchup Preview
The contrast between how these two teams play is striking. The Clippers are one of the slowest teams in the league, with a 21st-ranked pace of play, having previously been ranked as low as 27th in the league. The Clippers are a team that runs an old-school style of play, focusing on half-court plays that break down defensive systems. They use their point general(Harden) to force mismatches on their superstar wings(Leonard and George). When those three are off the court, they run an early 2000s style post-grinding and midrange offense, working off the skill of backup centers Daniel Theis and Mason Plumlee as well as the midrange/driving skill of bench leaders, Westbrook and Powell. They’re an old team(2nd oldest in the league), methodical and slow, but that doesn’t mean they can’t still pick apart defenses for massive scoring.
Meanwhile, their opponents in Dallas are one of the fastest teams in the league. They have the 6th fastest pace of play in the league. They focus on transition offense over half-court offense. The team always represents the threat of a fast break. They have a heliocentric offense run around Doncic. Teams must guard him with extreme care in all circumstances for fear of his scoring capabilities. This gravity has allowed former journeyman teammates like Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, and the once-disgraced Irving to shine brighter than they ever have in the past. This Mavericks has been waiting for years for this rematch. They have remodeled and retooled to be younger and faster than they used to be. Doncic is even more dangerous than he was before and he’s to break out as the best player in the league by squashing the team that has ended his playoff hopes before.
Last Word
This Clippers team is the last hurrah team. Aside from Leonard, the vast majority of this team are veterans still searching for their legacy-defining championship. Harden was one of the greatest offensive players, a one-man system unseen before or since, but he will always be criticized for failing to defeat his arch-rivals in the Bay Area. Westbrook was OKC’s hero, the triple-double king, but he will always be criticized for his inability to close the deal in the playoffs. George was the most promising young player in the league until he met King James at the height of his powers in the playoffs. Since then, his career has been defined by being good, but just not good enough. All of their legacies aren’t secure until they finally win the big one. This might be their last good chance and they aren’t taking their chance lightly.
The Mavericks are a team defined by past failures. Luka is the best young player in the league and unlike certain contemporaries in Milwaukee and Denver, he has nothing to show for his effort. Irving was once a champion alongside Lebron, but he has since hopped from disaster to disaster, becoming known more for his controversial off the court antics and beliefs than his on the court excellence. The rest of the roster is made up of players like Gafford and Washington, veterans who never truly broke out. This is a team seeking a moment of success.
The Clippers are a team in their twilight, willing themselves to one more shot at glory. The Mavericks are a team in their dawn, just waiting to get their chance and break out. The only question left is who will win?
