Dallas Mavericks vs LA Clippers: 3 players who could be an X-factor

1. Kristaps Porzingis

The most important player in the series, Kristaps Porzingis, will be the deciding factor in how this series will end up.

Porzingis showed his struggles early on in the season. In the first meeting with the Clippers back in November, he shot just 4-for-13 from the field for just 15 points and 10 rebounds. And the second meeting wasn’t much different as he continued to struggle. In the second meeting, Porzingis was just 4-for-17 from the field with just 10 points and nine rebounds.

Though, when Porzingis got to the bubble, he stepped up his game. Dallas met the Clippers once in the bubble and he shot 9-for-19 from the field for 30 points to go along with nine rebounds and five assists. Even with this increased level of performance since their last meetings, it still resulted in a loss. Clippers swept the season series 3-0 against Dallas.

He’s played quite well in the bubble and earned himself second-team all-bubble honors in the process, along with Luka Doncic who got a unanimous first-team nod.

He averaged 30.5 points per game, 9.5 rebounds per game, and 1.5 blocks per game on 47.6 percent shooting from the field and 38.1 percent from beyond the arc.

Doncic will have his first trip to the NBA playoffs but has seen plenty of postseason action before in Europe. Though he’s still expected to play quite well given he is an MVP caliber player. Porzingis will still be the biggest deciding factor on whether the Mavs advance or not.

This trip to the postseason will also be a first for Porzinigis as well. If Porzingis can play as well, or better, than he has in the bubble, the Mavs poise serious problems for the Clippers.