Christian Wood to Mavs is bad news for LA Clippers

The Luka Doncic’s solo act has been fun to watch but incredibly easy to defend.

After sitting back in frustration as Kristaps Porzingis would perpetually nurse ticky-tack injuries and truly debilitating ones, the Dallas Mavericks washed their hands of the incredibly talented, yet continually injured big man.

On his own, even with the weight of expectations growing heavily on his shoulders, Doncic played masterfully this past season, leading the Mavericks to a top-four seed in the Western Conference and a Conference Finals appearance in the postseason.

For as great as Doncic was during their run, averaging 31.7 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists, the offense both started and ended with him. At times, when Doncic didn’t have it going and his secondary players couldn’t nail open shots on the perimeter, the offense cratered.

The LA Clippers smiled widely as Dallas pushed Porzingis out the door in an attempt to focus the offense more on their young star. During the 2019-20 postseason, the former All-Star forward gave LA all it could handle, averaging 23.7 points on 52.5% from the field and 52.9% from 3-point land.

Christian Wood brings a ton to the table but not for the Clippers

But while Dallas removed one of LA’s most arduous headache, it’s being reported that they’ll be adding another. As first reported by ESPN, the Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets have swung a deal that has netted LA’s longtime rival Christian Wood. This past season was Wood’s best yet in the pros. The multi-talented big man dropped 19.1 points per game to go along with 9.9 rebounds.

LA, after a better than expected regular season, nabbing 42 victories, despite being mired in continual injury woes, will have to key in on Doncic’s new running mate when he’s on the court. Although LA produced one of the more stellar defenses in the entire league, they were rendered ineffective against Wood, as he would go on to average 15 points and 7.3 rebounds, while shooting 54.5% from the field and 50% from the 3-point line.

Dallas, like most in today’s league, has a penchant for playing small. But with their lack of an inside scoring threat, their small ball lineups would be rendered ineffective against a Clipper squad that’s likely to trout out Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Reggie Jackson, Norman Powell, and possibly Robert Covington. However, with Dallas acquiring the lanky 7-footer, all bets are off.

Having faced off against the Mavericks in consecutive postseasons in 2020 and 2021, LA was pushed to the brink of elimination. Now, even with a fully fit roster laced with a championship coach and experience, the Clippers’ greatest Western Conference rival has made the road to the NBA Finals that much harder for the LA Clippers.