On April 12, Beijing time, the NBA regular season continued. So far, there is only one set of confirmed playoff matchups, and that is the Clippers and Mavericks in the West. For this matchup, former NBA star Paul Pierce believes that the Mavericks will eliminate the Clippers, and Mavericks star Irving also expressed confidence in beating the Clippers in an interview.
Commenting on this matchup, Pierce analyzed: "The Mavericks can beat the Clippers, they have the most scoring duo in NBA history. Owen is the best heads-up player, and if there's a heads-up match, I'm sure he'll win. I know the Clippers beat the Mavericks without Irving a few years ago, but after All-Star Weekend, the Mavericks were one of the best defensive teams in the league, with their opponents scoring eighth. ”
Pierce then continued: "This team has everything it takes to make it to the finals. You have a top-five star in the league, an MVP contender, probably the best player. On top of that, Irving's addition brings experience to a championship team. I really think the Lone Ranger has a play this year. Now you're asking me to choose between them and the Clippers, and based on Leonard's uncertainty and so on, I choose the Mavericks. ”
In Pierce's interview, he mentioned a key factor, which was the absence of Irving when the Mavericks were eliminated by the Clippers a few years ago. Irving looked ahead to the series: "We know we're not done, we're just getting started. We did a great job in the regular season, but now it's time to start using our IQ, EQ and physicality to let the best win. I think it's about staying silent and getting ready for the opponent, regardless of what the Clippers have for us or what we're going to face in the first round. We are who we are, and we're ready for some challenges. ”
It is worth mentioning that P has played 28 playoff games in his career so far, of which 13 have been against the Clippers, nearly half. In 2019, he also had a 12-18 career record against the Clippers (since 2019), including 7-10 in the regular season and 5-8 in the playoffs.
Who do you think will be the winner of this year's group of old rivals who will meet for the third time in five years?