Dallas was favored overall to win the series, as well. Fox Sports had the Mavericks at -185 to advance, while the Clippers were listed at +155. That sentiment has changed after the opening bout.
Note: Remember that sports betting in Texas is still prohibited.
Mavericks falter against short-handed Clippers in Game 1
Kawhi Leonard was ruled out just ahead of the game, giving even more optimism to Dallas’s side. Unfortunately for the Mavs, his absence didn’t matter. The Clippers showed the NBA world exactly why they traded for James Harden earlier in the year. With Kawhi unavailable, the Beard turned back the clock and put on a vintage, MVP-level performance to lift L.A. to a 109-97 rout over Dallas. He dropped in 28 points and eight assists, while Paul George chipped in 22 points.
The Clippers’ depth ultimately gave them the edge over the Mavericks in Game 1. Harden and George did more than their part, but their supporting cast combined for 59 points on 24-50 shooting from the field. For Dallas, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving carried the load on offense, with 33 and 31 points respectively. The rest of the Mavs added just 33 points on 10-36 shooting marks.
As the higher seed and the home team in this matchup, the Clippers simply handled business and did what they were supposed to do. But with Leonard a late scratch, the Mavericks greatly soiled a grand opportunity to rip homecourt advantage away from L.A. and take control of the series.
Betting odds shift in Clippers’ favor after Game 1 victory over Mavericks
The final margin may have only been 12, but the Clippers were up by 30 late in the game. While the Mavericks made a valiant push in the closing minutes, it was far too late for them to overcome their shaky first-quarter defense and offensive woes in the second period when they scored just eight points.
Dallas did little to instill confidence that they can beat this L.A. team, especially if the Clippers get Kawhi Leonard back. Now, they’ll have to win four of their next six games to survive.
The Mavericks are still currently favored for Game 2. FanDuel has set the line at Dallas -2.5 and -136 to win outright. While the Mavs retain their status as the favorites for Game 2, Vegas has soured on their ability to win the series overall after their Game 1 defeat. Since losing Game 1, the Mavericks’ odds to advance past the first round have moved from -185 to +116.
Kawhi Leonard’s injury status remains up in the air, and his return could have a significant impact on the odds, both on a game-to-game basis and for the series overall.
