LA Clippers: Best and worst-case playoff scenarios
By Evan Desai
While the Clippers should be able to handle the currently sixth-seeded Mavericks, they’ve played the Clips tough this year.
The Clippers won just one of three contests against the Mavericks this year.
That includes a 51-point blowout loss that the Clips were on the wrong end of.
Kawhi Leonard didn’t play in that game, however in the two that he did play in, he didn’t look like his best self.
Leonard put up just 42 total points in those games. Not awful, but he shot 1 of 9 from three. His 14 total assists in those two games were nice, but there was something happening on the Mavericks that was a bit nicer.
Luka Doncic couldn’t be stopped. In his three games against the Clippers, Doncic has put up stat lines of 25 points/16 assists/10 rebounds, 42 points/9 assists/6 rebounds, and 24 points/8 assists/9 rebounds.
Doncic and the Mavs kept their playoff series vs. the Clippers last season close. That fact, along with some success vs. the Clippers this year could lead to them keeping it close again in 2021.
They shouldn’t be able to top the Clips, however. The LA Lakers, on the other hand, have a much better shot.