Los Angeles Clippers @ Dallas Mavericks
Spread: LAC -2.5
O/U: 216.5
Injuries
Clippers
Serge Ibaka - DOUBT
Mavericks
Luka Doncic - PROB
Maxi Kleber - PROB
JJ Redick - OUT
MVP/CPT
Outside of Game 4, it’s been remarkable to see the things Luka Doncic is doing out there. He’s doing it against two of the better perimeter defenders in the league in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George ! Doncic has scored 31+ actual points in four-of-five games and since Game 1, he’s put up 39+ in three-of-four. He also contributes across the board in all other categories and there’s a reason why he’s put up 70+ DKP three times in this series. He’s the top CPT option. Period.
If for some reason you are fading Luka Doncic in the CPT spot, I give you Kawhi Leonard , who’s been tremendous this series with the exception of Game 5. He shot 7-of-19 from the floor and put up just 37 DKP, the first time he put up less than 55 in this series. The multiple time champion is going to be out for blood in this spot considering his team is facing elimination. I could see a similar performance to what we got in Game 2 here.
You really do hate money if you don’t want 1.5X Doncic or Leonard’s points, but going a different direction here with my third option as captain. You might not be able to fit both Doncic and Leonard if you use one of them at captain, so going Morris allows for that to happen. Ivica Zubac has been more of a liability than Petey from Remember the Titans, so the Clippers have been going small, using Morris at center a lot the last two games. He responded with seven and eight rebounds and even put up 16 points and 37 DKP in Game 5.
FLEX Plays
Paul George , LAC
I love PG13, it’s just going to be hard to get him to fit in our SD lineups. If you do, you’re absolutely risking not having Luka Doncic or Kawhi Leonard in your lineups. If you’re fine with that, it’s not the worst approach, it’s just something you should look at logically. In four-of-five games, both of those guys have put up 55+ DKP. George has hit that mark just once. He just doesn’t have the upside they have. He has a very safe floor, but not the same upside.
Tim Hardaway Jr., DAL
Look at all the games THJ has played well in. There have been three of them in this series. Dallas has won all three. Hardaway has hit three or more three’s in four-of-five games, really stretching the floor for Dallas, allowing Doncic to penetrate at will. If you believe in Dallas winning this game, Hardaway will be a huge reason as to why.
Reggie Jackson , LAC
Jackson has been great for the Clippers this series. After only playing 21 minutes in Game 1, Jackson has played 29+ in each game since and has put up 15+ actual and 25+ DKP including series highs of 20 points and 29.5 DKP in Game 5. He’s getting BETTER as the series rolls on. With so much attention being given to Leonard and George, Jackson is a strong option in the mid-tier.
Nicolas Batum , LAC
With the Clippers going small, Batum has been able to stay on the floor and play a pivotal role. He’s played 33 and 36 minutes the last two games and has put up 23+ DKP in each contest. At his price, that’s a SOLID return. Nothing should change in terms of his role here, especially considering how bad Ivica Zubac has been.
Boban Marjanovic , DAL
Here’s everyone’s chalk play to make sure they afford two or three of the top dawgs. Marjanovic started and played 20 minutes in Game 5. He put up nine points and seven rebounds and that is on the low end of production we usually get out of him. Marjanovic has notched a 23.6% USG rate and 1.23 FP/min this season.
Dwight Powell , DAL
It’s interesting we saw Kleber play just 19 minutes and Powell’s minutes spike to 20 in Game 5. Kleber might not be as healthy as we thought he was and the 30+ minutes he was playing earlier in this series could have worn him down. Powell looked sharp while on the floor and he can stretch the defense a bit. He showed he can score & rebound and at 2.8K, he’s worth taking a shot on, maybe as a pivot from Marjanovic OR pair them together as a way to get all the studs you want.
Player News
Kristaps Porzingis (illness) said after Wednesday’s Game 2 loss to the Knicks that his current stamina issues may be related to the problem that sidelined him for eight games late in the regular season.
After an illness limited him to 13 first-half minutes in Boston’s series-opening defeat on Monday, Porzingis came off the bench in Game 2. Unfortunately, he could only give the Celtics 14 minutes. Following the game, Porzingis said his current problem may be related to the upper respiratory ailment that sidelined him for eight games late in the regular season. “Probably, probably,” Porzingis said. “I’ve had like ups and downs throughout until this point. Just now, had a big crash. Now, my energy, my everything, hasn’t been good, but who cares? Have to move forward and it will get better from this point.” While Boston’s shot selection was the focus following its two home defeats, Porzingis’ limited availability has also been a factor. He’ll hope to return to full health in time for Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.
Nikola Jokic finished with 17 points (6-of-16 FGs), eight rebounds, six assists, one steal, one block, two three-pointers and six turnovers in Game 2 against the Thunder on Wednesday.
This was Jokic’s worst performance of the postseason, and it came to an end in the third quarter. He fouled out with 1:17 left in the third, which brought his night to a close after he played 32 minutes. OKC was up 41 points when Jokic fouled out, so his night may have been close to over anyway. Jokic dominated Game 1, and the Thunder adjusted. Denver will need other players to step up if they want to have a chance of winning this series, but Jokic will also need to be better than he was in this game.
Michael Porter Jr. struggled on Wednesday and finished with just eight points (2-of-10 FGs), five rebounds, one steal and two three-pointers in Game 2 against the Thunder.
MPJ was slightly better in the second half, as all eight of his points came in the third quarter. However, the game was already out of hand at that point after a terrible first half for both Porter Jr. and the Nuggets. MPJ shot 1-of-8 in Game 1, and they’ll need him to be much better moving forward. The series will now shift back to Denver, and MPJ will look to get back on track during the two home games before the series heads back to Oklahoma City.
Russell Westbrook provided a boost off the bench with 19 points (5-of-11 FGs, 8-of-10 FTs), one rebound, five assists and one three-pointer in a 149-106 loss to the Thunder in Game 2 on Wednesday.
Despite an ugly first half for Denver, Westbrook was productive and entered the break with 15 points. He didn’t add much in the second half, though he sat the entire fourth quarter, still it was enough to lead the Nuggets in scoring. Russ has been awesome over Denver’s last five games, and his continued success will be key to the Nuggets winning this series. Though this game was ugly, they still have homecourt advantage in this series. They’ll look to keep it in Game 3 on Friday.
Chet Holmgren recorded a double-double on Wednesday with 15 points (3-of-8 FGs, 7-of-7 FTs), 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals, two blocks and two three-pointers in Game 2 against the Nuggets.
After struggling in Game 1, Holmgren bounced back and recorded the fourth postseason triple-double of his career, with three of those coming this season. Aside from Game 3 against Memphis, Holmgren has swatted at least two shots in every game during these playoffs, which was a trend that continued in this game despite him only playing 26 minutes. Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein (14/8/5/1/1) will look to continue to limit Nikola Jokic (17 points) in Game 3 on Friday.
Jalen Williams bounced back on Wednesday with 17 points (6-of-11 FGs), four rebounds, seven assists and two blocks in Game 2 against the Nuggets.
Williams was criticized for his poor performance in the Thunder’s Game 1 loss, but he responded well in OKC’s blowout victory. He was on pace for a bigger night, but he only played 26 minutes and sat the entire fourth quarter due to the lopsided score. He shot the ball much better after shooting 5-of-20 in Game 1, and he’ll need that success to carry over into Game 3 in Denver on Friday.