MENU
The Dallas Mavericks make the trip to Hollywood to take on the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center on Thursday night.
Paltry Road Record
The Dallas Mavericks won 11 straight games at home and although that streak was recently halted by the Sacramento Kings, the Mavericks are an impressive 13-3 at their home floor. However, Dallas is a paltry 2-11 on the road this season and they have lost four in a row heading to Wednesday night against a Clippers team which is 9-4 in their building this season.
Dallas ranks 18th in the league in scoring at 109.9 points per game. The Mavericks are 21st in assists at 22.8 dimes per contest. On the other end of the court, Dallas is hauling down a total of 45.4 rebounds per game while limiting their opponents to 108.7 points per night. The Mavs rank 15th and 10th, respectively in both defensive statistical categories.
Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Clippers 12/20/18
Moneyline Odds: Mavericks +140, Clippers -160
Odds from betonline.ag as of 12/20/18
Missing Lou
The Los Angeles Clippers enter this game having lost seven out of their last nine games. The Clippers were among the Western Conference’s top teams a couple of weeks ago but then they started to fade and now have lost guard Lou Williams to a sore hamstring for four straight games and counting. The Clippers lost all four games and are missing Lou’s scoring and offensive presence badly as they averaged just over 104 points in their last four games played.
The Clippers rank 6th in the league in scoring at 114.4 points per game They are 22nd in passing at 22.3 assists per game and Los Angeles is also the 11th best rebounding team in the NBA at 45.7 boards per contest. The Clippers allow their opponents to score 114.1 points per game, the sixth-worst scoring defense in the league right now.
Who Wins?
The Mavericks and Clippers have played in a total of 153 times during the regular season. Dallas leads their all-time series 92-61 and has won four out of their last seven meetings including their first meeting of the current season. The Mavs outlasted the Clippers 114-110 last December 2nd in Dallas to take their 2018-19 series opener.
These are two struggling squads who are looking to get back on the winning track. The Clippers are missing Lou Williams and for sure, missing their third leading scorer is a big loss. For Dallas, Dennis Smith Jr. is currently listed as day to day with a wrist injury and he’s missed four of five including the last two games.
But more than injuries, I think it’s home court that is going to be a big factor in this game. Dallas is 2-11 SU on the road and while the Clippers are coming off a home loss to the Blazers, they are still 9-4 SU at home this season. Moreso, the Clippers losses during their current skid were against the Raptors, Spurs, Thunder and Blazers. Meanwhile, Dallas’ road woes went as bad as losing to the Phoenix Suns in their most recent road loss. Those said,
we’re picking the Los Angeles Clippers to beat the Dallas Mavericks on 12/20/18.
Other Bets To Make
The Mavericks are 17-12 ATS in 29 games played this season. Dallas is 5-8 ATS in 13 road games played this season. On the other hand, the Clippers are 16-14 ATS in 30 games played so far during this campaign. Los Angeles is 8-5 ATS in 13 home games played. Head to head, the Mavericks are 5-4-1 ATS in their last 10 meetings. The Clippers are 4-2-1 ATS in their last 7 meetings in Los Angeles.
Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Clippers 12/20/18
Spread Odds: Mavericks +3.5 (-110), Clippers -3.5 (-1105)
Odds from betonline.ag as of 12/20/18
This isn’t the same Clippers team which Dallas has beaten 3-0 ATS in their last three meetings. Sure, Dallas also beat the Clippers 114-110 earlier this month but that was in Dallas. Again, I go back to the Mavs playing on the road and them struggling on the road this season. I like the home team to get a big win here.
Prediction: Clippers -3.5
Dallas has an O/U record of 14-14-1 this season. Meanwhile, the total has gone over in 17 out of the 30 games played by the Clippers this season. The over is also 8-5 in their 13 home games played this season. Head to head though, the under is 6-3-1 in their last 10 meetings. The under though is 4-2 in their last six games played at the Staples Center.
Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Clippers 12/20/18
Over/Under Odds: Over 222 -110, Under 222 -110
Odds from betonline.ag as of 12/20/18
The Clippers are the 6th highest scoring team in the NBA and although they’ve averaged just 104.25 points in their last four games due to Lou Williams’ absence, they put up 127 in a shootout against the Blazers. However, because the Mavs have a mediocre offense and a middling-good defense, this won’t be a high scoring affair in my books.
Prediction: Under 222
Miami Heat vs Milwaukee Bucks 04/19/2023 NBA Odds and Prediction
New York Mets vs Los Angeles Dodgers 04/17/2023 MLB Preview and Prediction
Minnesota Twins vs New York Yankees 04/14/2023 MLB Preview and Prediction
OKC Thunder vs New Orleans Pelicans 04/12/2023 NBA Play-in Tournament Odds and Prediction
