Game 2 Predictions & Odds: Mavericks vs. Clippers


The final contest on the third day of NBA playoff action delivers Game 2 of the the West's 2-7 matchup at AdventHealth Arena.

The No. 2-seeded Los Angeles Clippers lead the No. 7 seed Dallas Mavericks 1-0 in their best-of-seven first-round series, capturing Game 1 118-110.

Betting Resources

  • Matchup: Western Conference Game 2
  • Expert Picks: Vegas Insiders
  • Venue: ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
  • Location: Orlando, Florida
  • Date: Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020
  • Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
  • TV: TNT
  • Bet: BetMGM | BetRivers | FanDuel | PointsBet | All

Betting Odds - Mavericks vs. Clippers

The L.A. Clippers opened as a 5.5-point favorite for Game 2 at BetMGM and a 6-point 'chalk' at Circa, Caesars, FanDuel and DraftKings but were quickly bet to 6.5, which is where the line has remained as of Wednesday morning.

The total opened as high as 231 at DraftKings, but has hovered in the 229.5-230 range since.

Be sure to follow all the line movements.

Game 1 Recap

The Clippers took control of a tight game in the third quarter after going into the break down 69-66. L.A. held Dallas to just 13 points in the third, using a 16-5 run to take control.

The Mavericks did managed to tie the game at 91 early in the fourth quarter but were never able to recapture the lead despite having a number of shots at it halfway through the final quarter. L.A. finished the game with a 10-4 run, bolstered by timely 3-pointers from Patrick Beverley and Marcus Morris, Sr. Despite shooting just 1-for-7 from 3-point range, reigning Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 29 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in his first playoff game with his new squad. Paul George, similarly debuting for L.A. in the postseason, scored 27.

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Luka Doncic, playing his first career NBA playoff game, scored 42 points, the most ever for someone making his postseason debut, but called his performance "terrible," citing his 11 turnovers. He shot 13-for-21 from the field. Kristaps Porzingis was ejected from his playoff debut after accumulating two rather soft technical fouls. He finished 14 points and six boards in just 20 minutes of work.

Outside of Doncic, the Mavs shot 24-for-60 from the field and only Porzingis (7-for-8) and Boban Marjanovic were able to get to the free-throw line. Doncic went 14-for-15 from the stripe in a testy contest. Dallas will look to get more players involved in Game 2.

Game 1 Betting Results

Anyone riding the Mavs plus 5.5-to-6.5 points rode the rollercoaster of being up for the majority of the game only to watch it slip away late.

The Mavs covered the first quarter and first-half and would have likely covered for the entire game if Tim Hardaway, Jr. hadn't misfired on a long 3-pointer in the closing seconds. Morris grabbed the rebound and wasn't fouled, preserving L.A.'s eight-point advantage to close it out.

Anybody who played the ‘under’ 230 was saved by that Hardaway miss and no more fouling at the end since the teams ended up combining for 228 points. The high side looked comfortably on track following a 72-point first quarter and a 135-point first half but action slowed down considerably in the second 24 minutes, which started with neither team being able to get on the board for the first 2:33 of the second half.

Outcome: L.A. Clippers 118 Dallas 110

  • Game: Clippers Win, Clippers Cover (-6), Under (230)
  • First Quarter: Mavs Win (38-34) Mavs Cover (+1.5), Over (63)
  • First Half: Mavs Win (69-66), Mavs Cover (+3.5), Over (115)
  • Second Half: Clippers Win (52-41), Clippers Cover (-6.5), Under (115)

Clippers vs. Mavs
How to Handicap Game 2

(SU-Straight Up, ATS - Against the Spread, OU - Over-Under)

Mavs Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats
  • Overall: 43-33 SU, 37-36-3 ATS
  • Bubble: 3-6 SU, 2-7 ATS

This will ultimately wind up being a fantastic learning experience for Doncic, whose efficiency shooting the ball in Game 1 was off the charts despite facing a team featuring three of the NBA's top perimeter defenders. He was his biggest critic afterward due to the high number of turnovers he was responsible for but he figures to see constant double-teams for the remainder of the series as Clips coach Doc Rivers seeks to take the ball out of his hands.

Porzingis will have to make up for losing his head in Game 1 since Dallas will need him to be Doncic's safety valve in taking some pressure off him. Porzingis was on track for a double-double before being ejected and could be dubbed the fall guy after shooting just 3-for-11 to open a matchup featuring a truly young team cutting their teeth in the playoffs and tasked with the massive endeavor of facing a veteran team led by a defending champion who expects to win another title with his new team.

Seth Curry, who has been dealing with injuries over the past few weeks, hit four of eight 3-point attempts of the bench and will need to remain productive since his scoring will be necessary in order to notch an upset or two by taking advantage of the attention Doncic commands. Trey Burke also got his opportunity and finished a team-best plus-14 despite making just one of five shots. Dallas will need him to be more aggreessive too.

Clippers Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats
  • Overall: 50-23 SU, 42-31 ATS
  • Bubble: 6-3 SU, 7-2 ATS

After a dreadful defensive first half, it's no surprise the Clippers clamped down effectively coming out of the locker room, so it will be intriguing to see whether they can better set a defensive tone in the opening half. Dallas had its chances to take the lead in the fourth quarter, so an L.A. team that doesn't want to get tasked with a long, drawn out series can really make a statement by jumping all over Dallas early.

Beverley landed in foul trouble in attempting to slow down Doncic and only played 20 minutes due to five fouls, but he made two huge baskets down the stretch, including an enormous 3-pointer, and figures to continue being the x-factor for L.A. as the team's chief agitator. His ability to harass Beverley should keep Leonard and George fresh for fourth-quarter duty against the Dallas star, not to mention keeping those guys out of foul trouble.

Montrezl Harrell debuted in the bubble after spending the past few weeks alongside his grandmother, who sadly passed away. He'll be working the rust off as he goes along and only played 15 minutes, finishing with just six points and two boards. Considering he's one of the favorites for Sixth Man of the Year, L.A. appears vulnerable until it gets one of its emotional leaders back on track.

Key Injuries

Dallas

  • Kristaps Porzingis: Knee (Probable)
  • Dwight Powell: Achilles (Out)
  • Jalen Brunson: Shoulder (Out)
  • Courtney Lee: Calf (Out)

Porzingis woke up with knee soreness but was upgraded to probable this afternoon. All of the other Mavs' injuries are issues that followed them into the bubble.

L.A. Clippers

  • No Major Injuries

With Harrell off quarantine and Beverley back at work despite a calf strain he was cautious with until the playoffs, L.A. is back at full strength. Shooter Landry Shamet also got in there after missing a number of seeding games, seeing eight minutes of action.

Game 2 Best Bet Picks

Expect L.A. to have an easier time of it on Wednesday despite likely having to deal with more Porzingis. The Clippers know what a handful Doncic is going to be this series but did a nice job keeping him from getting sufficient help. Both teams are likely looking for more out of their bench, which should help lead to a higher-scoring Game 2 after the 'under' squeaked by in the series opener. Look for this game to feature at least 240 points.

Score Prediction: L.A. Clippers 125 Dallas 116