On April 16, Beijing time, according to NBA celebrity Chris Brussard, the Clippers' Leonard's knee was very swollen, and Leonard has missed the past eight consecutive games since April 1. At the moment, it is unknown whether Leonard will be able to play in the first round of the playoffs.
The NBA officially announced the first four games of the first round of the Clippers and Mavericks playoffs:
Scene 1: Mavericks VS Clippers at 10:00 on April 21, Beijing time
Game 2: Mavericks VS Clippers at 10:00 on April 23, Beijing time
Game 3: April 26, 10:00 Beijing time, Clippers VS Mavericks
Game 4: April 28, 10:00 Beijing time, Clippers VS Mavericks
The first four games of the first round of the Mavericks and Clippers
In 2020, the Clippers 4:1 Mavericks, in 2021, the Clippers 4:3 Mavericks, the Clippers eliminated the Mavericks for two consecutive years, and this year is the Boatman Wars 3.0.
Everyone is generally optimistic about the Mavericks this year, and the prediction given by the NBA's official website is that the Mavericks will eliminate the Clippers 4-2. Celebrities Barkley and Pierce are also unanimously optimistic about the Mavericks knocking out the Clippers.
Barkley said: "I think the Mavericks are the second-best team in the West. Don't think the Mavericks are not qualified, the Mavericks made a very powerful trade before the trade deadline, they traded for the league's super 3-and-D player PJ Washington, and they traded for Gafford who is one of the best shooting percentages this season, and Gafford made a qualitative change in the Mavericks' defense, and I tell you that the Mavericks can definitely beat the Clippers. "It seems that Barkley is very bullish on the Mavericks.
Barkley is bullish on the Mavericks to knock out the Clippers
Pierce said: "The most important thing in the playoffs is matchup. Now the Mavericks play the right kind of basketball, they now prioritize defense, and they have a big two, Doncic is the scoring champion of the season, Irving is one of the best key players in the league, the Eastern European duo is the best scoring duo in the league right now, and they have played 60 games together, they know each other well, they run in well, I think the Mavericks can end the series in 6 games and eliminate the Clippers 4-2. ”
Pierce bullish the Mavericks on knocking out the Clippers
I think the Mavericks are the better team:
1. Now that the whole team is healthy, Kidd is no longer obsessed with the death of the five smalls;
2. The team's defensive system is mature, the superstars are healthy, and the superstars are better than the Clippers;
3. Doncic is the top three players in the league, Irving focuses on the game this season, and his current performance is the top 20 players in the league, while the Clippers are healthy and the small card is the top 10 players in the league, George is the top 20, the top 50 players in the league, and Wei Shao has fallen out of the top 100;
4. Compared with role players, Gafford is stronger in offensive movement than Zubac, the Mavericks have PJ Washington against George or Leonard, no one in the Clippers' defense can play against Doncic and Irving, George can defend one, Xiaoka doesn't know if he can play, and he doesn't know if he can help the team due to injuries.
Leonard's return date is uncertain, and the Clippers' playoff prospects are worrying
I'm bullish on a 4-2 elimination of the Clippers.