Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 2/10/2022

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

Where to watch: BSSW-DAL, BSSC

WynnBet: Mavericks -6

BetMGM: NL

Caesars: NL

Clippers: 27-29

Mavericks: 32-23

When do we start throwing Luka Doncic into the MVP consideration?

There's Joel Embiid and his dominance, Nikola Jokic playing like he's wanting a repeat, and even DeMar DeRozan leading the Bulls to greatness. I also get Devin Booker and Chris Paul.

But in the last few weeks, Doncic has steamrolled into that conversation after leading the Dallas Mavericks to a run where they're fifth in the Western Conference with plenty of room to move into home-court status. Not to mention a lot of this play has come with Kristaps Porzingis sidelined due to a knee injury.

And if there's anything Doncic loves more than embarrassing folks, he has more fun tormenting the Los Angeles Clippers more. Even though the latter has gotten the last laugh the past two years, it feels like this is Doncic's time with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard on the shelf due to injury.

I like the Mavericks to steamroll through the shorthanded Clippers and use their suffocating defense to good use in the matchup Thursday at American Airlines Center. The Mavs are looking for their fourth consecutive win which would give them 11 in the last 15.

In the last 14 games, Doncic has been unreal in averaging almost a triple-double at 29 points, 9.9 rebounds and 9.8 assists during an 11-3 run. Doncic has recorded seven straight games of double-digit assists and has a triple-double in three of the last five.

"We're trying to move him around a little bit on the court, put him in some different spots and see how the defense is going to react," Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said after Dallas' 116-86 win over the Detroit Pistons . "I thought he took what they gave him."

"Dallas is a very good team," Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. "They have an MVP candidate that affects everything. Passing, he picked us apart when we tried to blitz him. ... We just couldn't stay on him, no matter who we put on him."

The arc of the Mavericks in this first year under Kidd is the most intriguing storyline in my eyes. The key is to actually get out of the first round this year, and if Doncic is playing like this, the Mavericks are going to do that. The Clippers are going to play their first game since acquiring Norman Powell and Robert Covington from Portland, and their defense will give Dallas fits, but the Mavs tend to find a way. I trust Doncic here. Mavericks by 10 

The Clippers are 25-33 ATS against Southwest Division opponents.

The under is 22-17 when the Clippers are road underdogs.

The Mavericks are 202-141 after consecutive non-conference games.

PG: Reggie Jackson

SG: Norman Powell
SF: Marcus Morris Sr.
PF: Nicolas Batum
C: Ivica Zubac

PG: Luka Doncic

SG: Jalen Brunson
SF: Reggie Bullock
PF: Dorian Finney-Smith
C: Maxi Kleber

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard (ACL, out), Paul George (elbow, out)

Mavericks: Kristaps Porzingis (knee, out), Tim Hardaway Jr. (foot, out), Sterling Brown (foot, questionable)