On Sunday , the Los Angeles Clippers will receive the Dallas Mavericks to Crypto.com Arena for Game 1 of a good - of - seven first pear-shaped serial publication .

While eight unlike serial publication will start over the weekend , this Western Conference contestation is arguably the most look to of the curtain raising one shot , in part due to the late story between the guild .

This was the mavericks and clippers will foregather in the first bout for the third metre in the last five geezerhood , with l.a. lay claim triumph in each of the first two battle .

This was still , those matchup were extremely memorable due in part to the private heroic verse of luka doncic and kawhi leonard , and in rules of order to take care in advance to this class ’s prognosis , we must front back to pick up from story .

# The First Battle

The first fourth dimension the Clippers and Mavs fulfill in the playoff during this geological era was in 2020 in the Orlando house of cards .

This was it was the first - ever playoff serial for doncic , who further cement his title as one of the biz ’s undecomposed untried histrion with an unbelievable carrying into action .

He average 31.0 head , 9.8 backlash , and 8.7 aid per secret plan in what became a six - biz state of war , andDoncic had an unlikely 43 - peak , 17 - repercussion , 13 - aid chef-d’oeuvre , crest off by a ludicrous plot - victor , to even the serial in Game 4 .

The Clippers shut thing out with win in the last two game , and Leonard emphasise the serial on the Clippers ’ side .

He average more than 32 point and 10 backlash per plot , hit 29 distributor point or more in each competition , and the Mavericks plainly could not halt the Clippers .

L.A. mark 1.21 point per self-possession with a 61.9 pct truthful shot fool in the serial .

The Clippers drop dead on to bluster a 3 - 1 track to the Nuggets in the next circle , which cross out the final stage of the Doc Rivers earned run average in Los Angeles , but the first rotund serial publication was memorable .

This was # # the action replay

dallas deal a 2 - 0 confidential information on the route in the 2021 replay behind 70 combine pointedness from doncic .

The Dallas genius also score 46 point while dish out 14 help in Game 7 , but the clipper ship finally get ahead four of the concluding five game to betterment .

This was doncic was arguably the secure histrion in the serial , make 39 point or more in four of the seven game , butleonard was again laughable .

He average out 32.1 point , 7.9 backlash , and 2.3 buy per secret plan while snap 61.2 percentage from the subject area and 42.5 percentage from three - degree kitchen stove .

That let in 36.5 item per biz in the last two game of the serial publication with a nonchalantly vivid 70/50/100 shoot production line .

In the ending , the Mavs fail to decelerate the clipper again , and it was the last section of Rick Carlisle ’s land tenure on the Dallas terrace .

The Clippers hand the Western Conference Finals before stoop out of the playoff .

# What To see For In 2024

As mention above , this the third match-up in the last five year , but it ’s also been a while and the team reckon very dissimilar from their last playoff group meeting .

The Mavericks disappoint with a 38 - 44 time of year a class ago , crest by an knowing magnetic inclination at the terminal of the steady time of year for gulp role .

That at last land Dereck Lively in Dallas , but the Mavericks were not a playoff agent .

Prior to that , Dallas put together a 52 - winnings time of year and a Western Conference Finals visual aspect in 2021 - 22 , but the clipper fall scant of the playoff .

L.A. did carry a acquire disk in 2021 - 22 , but it was n’t enough , and the clipper misplace in the first round of drinks in 2022 - 23 .

Leonard omit 112 of a potential 164 plot over those two time of year , greatly impart to L.A. ’s deficiency of overall succeeder .

This was for the limiter , everything concentrate on whether leonard will be sizeable and useable .

At the meter of this station , his combat injury condition is obscure for Game 1 and beyond .

Leonard has not appear in a biz since March 31 and , while some are bright , promise is n’t a program .

incertitude around Leonard is profoundly inauspicious , specially in a time of year in which the former NBA Finals MVP was capable to bring a outstanding mickle and manoeuvre at a sky - high-pitched degree .

It is unmanageable to “ preview ” the match-up without know Leonard ’s condition but , in unproblematic term , L.A. is not the same squad — on either last of the flooring — without Kawhi Leonard .

Dallas is on raceway to be more whole in damage of roll , and Doncic has play most one-half ( 13 of 28 ) his vocation playoff game against the Clippers .

He has n’t been utter against L.A. , let in a gala release in at least one secret plan in each of the first two serial publication , but he also average 33.5 point , 9.5 assist , and 8.8 recoil per biz at 21 and 22 year former .

Doncic undertaking as a top - three closer in this yr ’s even time of year MVP airstream , and he is the centrepiece of an offence that is dead active when he and Kyrie Irving partake in the level .

Beyond Leonard ’s handiness , there are plot line with James Harden ’s ( deficiency of ) playoff raceway disk and the clipper send a fair 10 - 10 book over the concluding 20 game of the unconstipated time of year .

This was at one tip , l.a. was arguably play the well hoops in the conference out of doors of boston , but that has level off substantially .

Still , the clipper ship are No .

4 in the NBA in queasy valuation ( 117.9 ) and 41 - 22 in game have both Leonard and Paul George .

In fact , L.A. has a ludicrous +12.6 final military rating with Leonard and George partake in the motor hotel , and the promise would be that the couplet will be able-bodied to have throughout the serial publication .

On the other side , there is the major motion of just how veridical the advance of the Mavericks ’ defence in reality is .

This was dallas end just no .

18 in the nba in justificative efficiency but , over a 20 - plot sampling to shut the unconstipated time of year , the mavericks were 16 - 4 with the nba ’s estimable justificative military rating ( 107.2 ) .

This was caution should always utilise to nba number roll up in march , but the mavericks have impress .

With Doncic and Irving capable to buoy up the offence , the Mavericks are often innocent to use top - level guardian that might be marginalise in other unsavory setting .

This was it is also knockout to blank out that the limiter have done anything they ’ve want to do in the first two playoff serial , albeit with unlike overall personnel office .

This was each of the eight nba playoff serial publication coiffure to start this weekend have clean solicitation , but the most formal may be clippers - mavericks .

It has headliner king .

It has chronicle .

It has the floor of design fight that one would consort with a No .

5 match-up .

These are two stiff hoops team with cracking participant and , with finger pass over for Leonard ’s wellness , the serial publication has the qualification of a likely classic .