NBA: 3 star-studded first-round matchups we want to see

LA Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks

If the NBA proposed an idea to restart the season by going straight to the postseason, the 2-seeded LA Clippers would have faced the 7-seeded Dallas Mavericks. Many likely would pick the Clippers as the overwhelming favorites over the inexperienced Mavericks, but it might not be as simple as that.

The Mavericks are the 7-seed, but they are not the prototypical 7-seed, currently just 5.5 games back of the Clippers for the 2-seed in the West. After those eight regular season games in Orlando, the Mavericks could shift anywhere in the standings, potentially jumping ahead of the Clippers. As unlikely as that is, there would be plenty of big names in this series facing off.

Put the reigning NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard up against first-time All-Star starter Luka Doncic, and it is a must-see-television matchup. The secondary options of Paul George and Kristaps Porzingis would only add to the hype of this series as these two duos could put on a show in a seven-game series.

The LA Clippers took the season series 2-0 against the Dallas Mavericks, and as previously stated, would likely be the favorites in this matchup. Aside from the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers, the Clippers were among the favorites to take home the title, while neither of the Mavericks’ stars have any postseason experience.

Still, the Mavericks’ current status in the West is a smokescreen to how talented they genuinely were they season given how the standings shaped up. Perhaps they could give the Clippers a run for their money early if they come out of the gate firing.

These teams do not have any recent history that could amplify the series as the others on this list do, but it would still be great to witness. After the fantastic seasons that Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis had, it would be fascinating to see what they can do against a top-heavy team such as the LA Clippers.