Fresh off his first victory in an LA Clippers uniform, Tobias Harris will look to keep the wins coming when his team hosts the Dallas Mavericks tonight.
On Saturday, the LA Clippers handily defeated the Chicago Bulls at home, 113-103. The team was led by the efforts of Tobias Harris and Danilo Gallinari, both of whom scored 24 points apiece.
The Clippers will need that same kind of effort tonight against the Dallas Mavericks in order to get another win.
Understandably, the team is still finding themselves. Without a definitive identity or leader, the goal should simply be to persist and to win.
Harris and Gallinari will again be vital, but hopefully the Clippers get a more thorough contribution from Lou Williams tonight. Despite scoring 20+ points in 19 of his last 20 games, Williams has been inconsistent lately, and has shot season-lows in his last few performances.
The Mavericks may have a lackluster record at 17-36, but their roster is still loaded with talent. Rookie Dennis Smith Jr. has been nothing short of explosive this season, averaging nearly 15 points and 5 assists per game. Dirk Nowitzki is seemingly completing his own sort of farewell tour, even though he could probably play until he turns 50. Wesley Matthews has also been a reliable option so far this season, shooting 38% from deep.
Los Angeles will catch a break tonight though, as Harrison Barnes, the team’s best player, will sit with an ankle injury.
The season series is tied 1-1, both of which were blowout victories. On Nov. 1, a healthy Clippers squad took down the Mavs by a score of 119-98. However, when the two met again on Dec. 2, it was Dallas who earned the win, 120-88. Blake Griffin, Patrick Beverley, and Gallinari all missed the game with injuries.
The game will tip-off at 7:40 PST.