The Mavericks look to avenge an earlier thrashing at the hands of the Clippers when they play host to Los Angeles on Wednesday. Dallas will welcome DeAndre Jordan back to the city he snubbed during free agency in the offseason, giving them added incentive to knock off the team that handed them a 104-88 loss two weeks ago. You can bet on NBA odds at BookMaker.eu every day of the season.
SCHEDULING
This isn’t the same Mavericks team we’re used to seeing compete for a division title and with the big boys in the Western Conference. Sure the Mavs still have some talent, but in the mean Southwest Division and the brutal West, Dallas will have to scratch and claw to finish among the top eight. It’s still early in the season, but the stretch of games the Mavericks are in right now is critical. It’s the only stretch where the Mavs play four games in five nights and the matchup with the Clips comes a day after taking on the Pelicans in New Orleans. Dallas was playing the second of a back-to-back when they lost to the Clippers on Oct. 29, losing by 16 as a 12-point underdog. The Mavs get a day off Thursday before hosting the Lakers Friday and visiting Houston on Saturday. If the Mavs go anything less than 2-2 during this run, they will be putting themselves in a difficult spot with seven of their next nine games after Houston coming on the road.
INJURIES
Chris Paul suffered a groin injury in the Clippers game at Golden State last week and missed the next contest, a 109-105 home loss to the Rockets. It was LA’s second straight after opening the season with four wins. He is questionable to play when the Clips begin a quick back-to-back road trip with a game in Phoenix on Thursday. Austin Rivers started in his place against Houston.
Mavericks guard Deron Williams is battling through both calves being strained, plus a sprained left knee. Coach Rick Carlisle wants to keep Williams’ minutes under 30 per game and with four games in five nights, there is a chance D-Will could take a breather.
KEY MATCHUP
Clippers center DeAndre Jordan shouldn’t expect a gift basket from the Dallas fans when he makes his first appearance in Big D since spurning the Mavs’ free agent offer during the offseason. But the bottom line is the Mavs don’t have anyone to contend with the big man. Jordan had 15 rebounds and four blocked shots in LA’s 104-88 win at Staples Center on Oct. 29. He played just 26 minutes in that game, being lifted in the fourth quarter with the Clips comfortably ahead. Jordan led the NBA in rebounding last season with an average of 15.0 per game and totaled 60 in three games against the Mavericks. That’s a cool 20 rebounds per game for those who don’t want to do the math. The Mavs aren’t a deadly shooting team early in the season, connecting on just 42.2 percent through six games, and that provides Jordan with opportunities to challenge his career-high of 27 boards, which was set at Dallas in February. With the game in Dallas, it figures to be closer than the earlier meeting and Jordan will likely be on the court a bit longer. Check a prop on his rebound total and take the over.
ODDS AND PREDICTION
The Clippers spent the offseason trying to strengthen their bench for times like this. With Paul missing a few games with a groin injury, the team’s depth was to play a role so the club could move on without one of its superstars. It didn’t go so well the first game with LA losing to Houston while Paul watched from the bench and his replacement Rivers was less than stellar. But the Clips have Blake Griffin, Jordan, J.J. Redick and Paul Pierce, just to name a few, and are probably the second-best team in the conference. The Mavericks still have a say and would like to punish LA and Jordan for the offseason snub. Though the Mavs have some motivation and the homecourt advantage, the Clippers are the better team and will prevail, even if Paul doesn’t play.
Los Angeles 106, Dallas 99
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Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The game between the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks will start at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, November 11, 2015, at the American Airlines Center. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
