Team: Los Angeles Clippers (8-12) at Dallas Mavericks (5-17)
Time: Saturday, December 2, 2017 at 2:00pm ET (American Airlines Center)
48 hours after their collapse against the Jazz, the Clippers have a chance to right the ship against the Dallas Mavericks. Both the Mavs and the Clippers are 3-7 in their last 10 games, and both teams are looking to rebound after some bad losses. The last time these teams met, the Clippers crushed the Mavs 119-98. This time around, the Clippers are running an entirely different starting 5, and will need an entirely different plan to win.
Limit Turnovers
The Clippers have averaged 18.6 turnovers per game (2nd most in the NBA) in the last five games. Clippers’ opponents are also scoring 20 points per night off of these turnovers. The Mavs are 19th in the league at forcing turnovers (14.6), and 27th in the league at offense (99.5 PPG). Dallas is not a good offensive team and aren’t necessarily good at forcing turnovers, so the Clippers can not make it easy for them.
🔨🔨🔨 HAMMER TIME!! #UTAatLAC #ROTY https://t.co/GI350OkPtN
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 1, 2017
These types of turnovers can’t happen again. Last game, the Clippers allowed a Jazz team that barely scores over 100, to score 126. If the Clippers can successfully control the ball, they will win this game.
Play Defense
The Clippers can’t have the defensive lapses they had against Utah. The Mavs are a team with limited firepower, so make every shot difficult for them. Plays like this, are specifically why the Clippers lost in the 4th quarter last game.
THAB🔥#UTAatLAC https://t.co/POrCUIEdRH
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 1, 2017
LA needs to play the Mavs with respectful defense, and can’t allow any “I dare you” shots. Any defensive collapses will result in mental collapses, that a young Clipper team isn’t ready to deal with yet.
Prediction: Deandre Jordan will have a double-double.
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