Mavericks vs. Clippers, Game 7 Preview, Picks, & Prediction
Mavs vs. Clippers Game 7 Odds
| Mavs Odds | +6.5 |
| Clippers Odds | -6.5 |
| Moneyline | +220/-278 |
| Over/Under | 210.5 |
| Time | 3:30 p.m. ET |
| Where | Staples Center |
| TV | ABC |
| Odds accurate as of Sunday, June 6 at BetMGM | |
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The Dallas Mavericks travel to Los Angeles Sunday to battle the Clippers in a winner-moves-on Game 7 slugfest. The Staples Center will be lit, and Hollywood will be hoping that its last remaining squad moves on to the Western Conference Semifinals.
Should we expect the unexpected here? This series marks the first time in which the road team won the first six games of the best-of-seven. If that trend continues, and this series reaches an astonishing seven-for-seven away team victories, Luka Doncic and the Mavs will be headed for Utah next.
Of course, two-time NBA champion and Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard will have something to say about that. ‘The Claw’ had 45 points, six boards, and three dimes in 42 minutes in LA’s 104-97 victory in Game 6. Fellow All-Star Paul George chipped in 20-13-6 in a whopping 46 minutes. Point guard Reggie Jackson continued his impactful streak, logging 25-9-4.
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Luka’s Legend Continues to Grow In Dallas
As for Dallas, Luka’s legend continues to grow. Doncic has average 34 points, eight rebounds, and 9.7 assists this series. He has shot 47.6 percent from the field and 40 percent from long distance. Luka has demonstrated quite clearly why pundits and sportswriters had him in the MVP conversation this season, and that he will be a major problem for the rest of the league for a very long time.
But is that time now? I think the answer is not quite yet. Doncic still has some issues that he must iron out before he can truly contend in the MVP race, or for that matter, an NBA title. Despite averaging 9.7 assists per game this series, he has just a 2.23 assist-to-turnover ratio (58 total assists, 26 total turnovers). He’s also made just 20 of his 40 free throw attempts, and struggled mightily on the defensive side of the floor. And let’s face it, he has seemed gassed at the end of these long games with short rotations.
Naysayers will view that as a nitpicky paragraph—which it is—but the fact remains that Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are great at exploiting an opposing star’s weaknesses. These All-Pro and All-Defensive talents have had six games to figure Doncic’s game out—methinks they can shoot him down at home on the seventh go.
Odds Favor Clippers in Game 7
Oddsmakers seem to think so, as well. Most sportsbooks have LA favored around -6.5 on the spread, with the Clippers’ moneyline hovering around -275. Do they know something we don’t? How in the world can any NBA bettor feel comfortable betting the Clips to win by seven at home, when they haven’t even won a game at home in exactly one month!?
I agree with the notion that LA will buck the trend and win the decisive Game 7 in the clutch. But I am absolutely not on board with the Clips -6.5. In fact, I’d be inclined to pick Dallas +6.5. I also love the *OVER on the 210.5 game total, as well as the OVER on the 107.5 halftime total.
You expect fantastic defense from a matchup that features Leonard and George, but Doncic just makes getting stops on a consistent basis so difficult. The 21-year old phenom is savvy beyond his years when it comes to playmaking. And he has such natural stroke and ballhandling finesse, you just know he will be a Hall of Famer in 20-plus years.
But Luka won’t soon be an NBA champion, at least not until he’s given a better and more consistent supporting cast. Kristaps Porzingis has enjoyed moments of brilliance this series, but he still can’t seem to regularly harness his inner All-Star-level ‘unicorn.’ He’ll be hot one game, and quiet the next. The same can be said for Tim Hardaway, Jr., who has four games with 20-plus points this series and 12 points combined in his other two. Hardaway also struggles to do much of anything else but score, which presents a challenge if and when he has an off shooting night.
Who else can step up as Luka’s right-hand man and series savior? Dorian Finney-Smith is a three-and-D guy, not known as much for the ‘three’ part of that equation. Maxi Kleber is questionable for Game 7 with an Achilles injury, and has had a dreadful offensive rating when active. Boban Marjanovic is a novelty, ‘token tall guy’ type center, whose defense can be exposed mercilessly by high screen-and-rolls. Josh Richardson and Jalen Brunson have struggled with their shots, and also with high turnover rates. Willie Cauley-Stein, like Boban, would be inactive on just about any other playoff team still standing.
Mavs vs. Clippers Game 7 Predictions
Long story short, the Mavs aren’t ready to go all the way. And Luka probably isn’t, anyway. Leonard can go out and get a playoff win, as he has proved dozens of times in the past. He locked in on defense in Game 6, and went right at Luka on the offensive side of the floor. Master Kawhi opened up a can of hoops Kung Fu on the younger, less conditioned student of the game known as Luka. Doncic’s legend may be greater than Leonard’s when all is said and done, but right now, you’d be a damn fool to pick against Kawhi in a Game 7—home or away.
HALFTIME SCORE PREDICTION: Clippers 57-53
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: Clippers 117-113
Image Credit: Imagn