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It’s go time for the LA Clippers. After an entire season of ramping up, this is finally the point when the games matter. First on the docket is the Dallas Mavericks, the team’s playoff opponent for the first time in franchise history.
The Clippers beat the Mavericks all three times they played each other this season, including once during the seeding games. This isn’t a matchup that should give LA much grief, but the circumstances of this postseason are unlike any other, so it’s probably best not to get too confident.
LA heads into this game having won its last two contests, though the team only used its real rotation in one of them. Meanwhile, Dallas comes in on a two-game losing streak as the Mavericks ended their season against the two hottest teams in the bubble, Portland and Phoenix.
The full schedule for the series was released last week, and here’s what you need to know for how to watch Game 1.
Game Information
Where: AdventHealth Arena, Orlando, Florida
When: Monday, August 17 at 6:00 p.m. PT
How to watch: ESPN, Fox Sports Prime Ticket, Fox Sports Southwest Dallas, fubo TV
How to listen: KEIB 1150, ESPN 103.3 FM / 1270 AM (ESP)
Projected Starting Lineups
Clippers: Reggie Jackson, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Marcus Morris Sr., Ivica Zubac
Mavericks: Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, Kristaps Porzingis
Injuries/Absences
Clippers: Patrick Beverley (left calf), Montrezl Harrell (self-isolation), Landry Shamet (left foot) — QUESTIONABLE
Mavericks: Courtney Lee (left calf), Dwight Powell (right achilles) — OUT, Kristaps Porzingis (left heel) — PROBABLE
More news for Monday:
- ICYMI: Kawhi Leonard earned All-Seeding Games second team honors. Paul George was on the outside looking in, as he tied with DeMar DeRozan for the next-most votes.
- Tania Ganguli has a really sweet story about NBA dads who miss their kids in the bubble.
- PG and Kawhi met up with each other during the hiatus to work out and get to know one another better.
- Alvin Gentry was fired by the Pelicans this weekend, and Ryan Snellings writes that the Clippers should bring their former coach back to Doc Rivers’ bench.
- Michele Roberts met with some players in Orlando last week, and TrueHoop reported some takeaways.
1) She expects the current collective bargaining agreement is toast.
— Henry Abbott (@TrueHoop) August 14, 2020
2) She is optimistic about negotiating a new one.
3) Next season will most likely begin some time between late January and early March (the later dates would affect the Olympics, however).