Clippers at Mavericks
The Los Angeles Clippers are aiming to wrestle homecourt advantage away from the Utah Jazz in their probable Western Conference first-round series and can take another step toward achieving that when they visit the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. Los Angeles will be looking for its fourth straight victory as it puts heat on the fourth-place Jazz, a team they host on Saturday.
The Clippers are winning by an average of 21 points during their winning streak and coach Doc Rivers appreciates what he is viewing. "I just like how we're playing with pace right now," Rivers said after Tuesday's 133-109 trouncing of the Los Angeles Lakers. "Everybody has an identity and ours is length and athleticism. The only way we can use that is by getting stops, and when this team gets multiple stops in a row, then we become athletic." Dallas was trounced 112-87 by the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday in the opener of a pivotal four-game homestand that will likely determine whether the Mavericks remain part of the playoff race. Dallas stands 10th in the West as it tries to chase down eighth-place Denver but Portland also is in a better position than the Mavericks.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), FSN Southwest (Dallas)
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (43-29): The backcourt quartet of Chris Paul (27 points), J.J. Redick (24), Austin Rivers (18) and Jamal Crawford (15) set the tone for the rout of the Lakers by combining for 84 points and neither Paul nor Redick played in the fourth quarter. "Our backcourt is playing great the last two games," Rivers told reporters afterward. "In the stretch we're going through, this is good for them. We have a lot of games coming up, so this is nice whenever anyone can get rest." The guards picked up the slack for forward Blake Griffin, who struggled to 12 points on 2-of-9 shooting against the Lakers after averaging 26.5 points over the previous two games.
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (30-40): Players sitting out games has been a major topic around the NBA and Dallas has a player who has started all 70 games in small forward Harrison Barnes. He scored in single digits only four times all season but two have occurred in the past three games and Barnes made it clear the poor outings have nothing to with being tired, even though coach Rick Carlisle has his doubts. "Barnes has played every single game this year, including all the exhibitions," Carlisle told reporters after Barnes had just five points against the Warriors. "I'm afraid a night like (Tuesday) is a combination of them being a great defensive team, and him being a little out of gas."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Barnes averaged 23 points as the Mavericks split two meetings with the Clippers earlier this season.
2. Redick is 13-of-21 from 3-point range over the past four games.
3. Dallas PF Dirk Nowitzki is averaging 16.9 points and 7.7 rebounds in March and scored in double digits in all 11 games.