Quietly 13-2, No. 1 in the league in defense! The NBA has no weak underbelly team, and the Clippers are in trouble

This season's NBA regular season has entered the final stage, and the rankings of the West are changing every day, but the overall pattern is becoming clearer. First of all, the Warriors locked up the tenth in the West, but the ceiling can only be the tenth in the West, and they can't catch up, the gap is too big. Secondly, after the Thunder let Jay and Alexander start to rest, the Thunder withdrew from the competition for the first place in the West, and the goal is obvious, even if it is the Suns who play the Big Three in the first round, they admit it, it is better than being bullied by the Lakers. In addition, it is the Lakers who spark all the way to the lightning rush, since February, the Lakers have a record of 21 wins and 8 losses, and finally entered the top eight, and according to the Lakers' winning rate this season, last season can be in the top three in the West!

The competition for the top three + play-offs in the West is changing every day, but there is a set of pairs that are locked in advance! According to the modeling and calculation of the American media "BR", the probability that the Clippers will finally get the fourth seed is 93%, and the probability of getting the fifth seed is 5%, while the probability of the Mavericks finally getting the fifth seed is 86.3%, and the probability of getting the fourth seed is 5%, and the probability of this group of matchups is more than 84%! To put it simply, the remaining games of the Clippers are somewhat difficult in addition to back-to-back against the Suns, and the remaining opponents of the Mavericks, the rotten fish belly Pistons + Hornets, the Rockets who have no intention of fighting, and the Thunder, who want to stabilize the third, they have no pressure, and Kidd has even begun to arrange Doncic's rotation to rest. So what does the Mavericks mean to the Clippers? Quietly 13-2, rising to the top of the league! The NBA has no soft underbelly, and the Clippers are in trouble!

First of all, the Clippers have played the Mavericks three times this season, with the Clippers going 2-1, losing the 18-point losing game, winning two games, one by 9 points and one by 19 points. I was impressed by the 18-point loss because Irving said after the game: I'm glad Harden just arrived, and they haven't figured out how to play together, that's not what we want to face. Once they figure it out, they're going to have a crazy winning streak. Indeed, Irving was very visionary, because in December and January, the Clippers won more than 80% of the games, and once topped the West with a 26-5 record. However, since these three encounters were all before the trade deadline, they do not have playoff reference value. And the real Lone Ranger has long been reborn!

Let's start with a few stats: In the past 15 games, the Mavericks have a 13-2 record, only losing to the Thunder and Warriors, during which time the Mavericks have an offensive efficiency of 116.2, eighth in the league in the same period, and a defensive efficiency of 105.4, first in the league in the same period, and a net efficiency value of +10.7, second in the league in the same period. I was very impressed that before the All-Star Weekend, the Mavericks' defensive efficiency was on the same level as the Bucks, Trail Blazers, and Hawks, and they were outside the top 20 in the league, with only offense and no defense at all. First of all, the Mavericks' offense is easy to underestimate, Doncic averaged 33.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game this season, with a two-point shooting rate of 48.6%+38.2%, and a true shooting rate of 61.6% to create a career high!

But Irving averaged 3.6 points per game at critical moments, fifth in the league, and a three-point shooting rate of 59% + 44.4% + 93.8% at critical moments, and second in the league with a plus/minus of +3.4! So the Mavericks have a record of 23-9 in key moments this season, with a winning rate of 72%, and the first in the league in the broken gear! In addition, when Doncic and Gafford started at the same time this season, the Mavericks have a 14-1 record! The crux of the problem is here: Coach Kidd has been reusing no projection + in the first two-thirds of the seasonBut when Gafford + Lively can hold up more than 40 minutes at the No. 5 position, the Mavericks' winning rate is more than 8 percent! From covering the defense under the basket to protecting the frame, to blocking and eating cakes on the offensive end, they amplify the singles ability of Irving and Doncic!

To put it simply, today's lone ranger really has no shortcomings. Up front, Washington and Jones are typically 3-and-D, and Irving is also hardworking, even in Ramadan, leading the team to a 10-2 record, so Kidd can rest assured that Doncic will be rested. If the Clippers really meet the Mavericks in the playoffs, there are three major difficulties: first, who will limit the Eastern European combination? Counting on Harden and Mann, it is unrealistic, Harden can top the low post, chasing Irving and Doncic all over the court, he can't do it. Secondly, the Clippers' three interior lines are actually overwhelmed, and Zubac can barely use them, but compared to Gafford 's mobility, it is still a little worse, and the Clippers' interior line will face huge challenges. Finally, the Mavericks have a forward configuration with a combination of bags and peppers, can Harden step up?

In the 19-20 season, Doncic led the team alone to lose to the Cajun combination and went out 2-4; in the 20-21 season, Doncic played 7 games in the playoffs, leading 2-0, and was led by the Cajun group to overturn the game; in the 21-22 season, the Mavericks played all the way to the Western Conference finals and lost to the Warriors; last season they couldn't even enter the play-offs. This season, the Mavericks are strong, and with the help of Irving + Gafford + Washington, the Mavericks owner Cuban has indeed fulfilled his promise to help Doncic build a championship-contending lineup. It's the best chance for Doncic, and the Clippers are in big trouble!