Two of the Western Conference’s most evenly matched teams will square off on Wednesday when the Dallas Mavericks visit the Los Angeles Clippers in a crucial game 5. The winner of this contest will have a distinct advantage in this best-of-seven series that will see the winner taking on the Oklahoma City Thunder. If you are interested in any other NBA playoff games, you can find the latest NBA predictions right here at Mighty Tips.

The Clippers withstood a furious Dallas rally to notch a game 4 victory to tie the series at two games apiece. In the absence of the Clippers’ $45 million man, Kawhi Leonard, a determined duo of James Harden and Paul George stepped up with 33 points each. Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving dropped 40 points and Luka Doncic put up 29 to go with his 10 rebounds and 10 assists for Dallas.

Game 5 from Crypto.com Arena tips off at 10 PM EST with the home team entering as a slight +2.5-point underdog. Both teams have some injuries. Perhaps the biggest question mark surrounds LA’s Kawhi Leonard who has a knack for getting injured at the most inopportune times. Despite being a game-time decision, one has to wonder how effective he would be if he was to play. For Dallas, big Luka Doncic is suffering from knee pain although that didn’t stop him from recording yet another playoff triple-double against the Clippers. Be reminded that Mighty Tips also has plenty of free expert football predictions and other helpful betting tips.

Pre-Match Moneyline Odds:

Pre-Match Moneyline Odds: Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers

	Dallas Mavericks	Los Angeles Clippers
	1.68	2.10

Pre-Match Spread:

Dallas Mavericks [-2.5] @ 1.88

LA Clippers [+2.5] @ 1.93

It isn’t easy backing a small favorite on the road. However, this is a spot that Dallas has excelled in. They are a staggering 20 -6 ATS as a road favorite this season. On the flip side, the Clippers have not been a very good home dog although they have only been in this position 7 times this year. They went just 2-5 ATS and straight up in those games. While many bettors will likely wait until closer to game time to place their bets, it appears as though the early money has come in favoring the Mavs. After the line opened with Dallas being a 1.5 to 2-point fave, most of our top basketball betting sites now have them holding steady at -2.5.

It's worth noting that these teams enter game 5 with some strong Under trends in play. In their last dozen head-to-head matchups, the Under has gone a wallet-fattening 10-2. On the season, the Under was 38-44 in Clippers games and 36-46 in Mavericks games. The Under is 9-2 in Dallas’ last 11 road games and 4-0 in LA’s last 4 home games. With that near collapse in game 4 being fresh in their memory, one could reasonably expect LA to step it up on defense. At the same time, the Mavericks have to avoid falling behind like they did last game.

Best Pick: Dallas Mavericks to Cover the Spread 1.88 | Place Bet

Additional Pick: LA Clippers/Dallas Mavericks [Under 208.5] 1.95 | Place Bet

We already know that Luka Doncic is dealing with knee issues, but it is highly unlikely that it will affect his status for game 5. On the other hand, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Oliver-Maxence Prosper will be game time decisions.

Continuing to fight.@Lexus // #OneForDallas pic.twitter.com/8FNRR28ZlU

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) April 29, 2024

Kawhi Leonard’s knee kept him out of game 4, and is sidelined indefinitely. While things can always change, don’t expect him to see him on the court in game 5.

first NBA teammates to both have 30+ PTS, 5+ REB & 5+ AST on 74.0+ TS% in a Playoff game e?”￥ https://t.co/pnk8Uq7G13 pic.twitter.com/1NTdRjBi7I

— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) April 29, 2024

• The Mavericks have gone 26-11 ATS in their last 37 overall.
• The Clippers are 6-12 ATS in their last 18 games.
  Mavericks to Cover  | 1.86

• Dallas is 10-4 ATS in their last 14 road games.
• LA is 4-8 SU in their last 12 home games.
  Mavericks to Win  | 1.71

• The Under is 10-3 in Dallas’ last 13 road games.
• The Under is 6-2 in LA’s last 8 overall.
• The Under is 10-2 in the last 12 head-to-head meetings between Dallas and LA.
  Under 208.5  | 1.95

Dallas Mavericks vs Los Angeles Clippers last 5 matches