Did you feel overwhelmed while trying to follow the four Sunday night games that influenced the Mavericks’ playoff fate?
You weren’t alone.
Now the chaos has settled, and the No. 5-seed Mavericks will face the No. 4-seed Clippers in the first round.
Here are five storylines to know before Game 1 next weekend.
A villainous rematch
Goodbye, NBA bubble. Hello, non-quarantined sequel.
Nine months ago, the Mavericks lost their first playoff series since 2016 in six games to the Clippers.
There were positive moments for Dallas, particularly a Game 4 overtime win when Luka Doncic hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. But low moments, including blowout losses in Games 5 and 6, proved more influential.
Team rivalry aside, watch for the Mavericks to be especially wary of one specific Clipper: Marcus Morris Sr.
The 31-year-old forward has a reputation for physical, controversial play and disrupted Doncic several times, including in Game 5 when he appeared to intentionally step on Doncic’s injured ankle.
“He’s a hell of a player, hell of a defender,” Doncic said. “Trash talk is always there. If it’s not, you’re not really competing.”
It’s time for the Mavericks to test their offseason intent to upgrade toughness against their most notable aggressor.
Kristaps Porzingis, the X-factor
The star center’s playoff debut last summer was limited after he tore the meniscus in his right knee and later was ejected for two technical fouls in Game 1. His knee became too stiff after Game 3 to play the remainder of the season.
Some have wondered whether the Mavericks would’ve managed the first-round upset had Porzingis remained healthy. He averaged 23.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in the two-plus games before his injury.
With Porzingis appearing to be back in his rhythm after an ankle sprain and knee soreness, Dallas will have a chance to make good on the hypothetical over the next two weeks.
Playoff Paul?
When he played in Oklahoma City, Clippers star Paul George gave himself the nickname “Playoff P” for the dominance he expected to exude.
Playoff P didn’t show up against the Mavericks last time. He shot 35.8% from the field and 27.5% from three, leaving much of the scoring burden to fellow star Kawhi Leonard.
George and the Clippers highlighted the mental difficulties of isolation in the bubble as factors in their struggles, but this year with the playoffs back in home markets, the pandemic protocol should be less of a hardship.
New faces in the mix
The teams are the same, but some contributors are new.
In addition to Josh Richardson, the Mavericks’ top offseason acquisition, Dwight Powell, Jalen Brunson and Willie Cauley-Stein will make their Dallas playoff debuts, too.
The Clippers’ most notable newcomer: head coach Ty Lue.
After Los Angeles lost in the second round last September, its front office replaced Doc Rivers with Lue, signaling leadership wasn’t content with another pre-conference finals exit.
Streaks on the line
The Mavericks haven’t won a playoff series since their 2011 championship run. Though they remain the underdogs by seed and experience, their second Doncic- and Porzingis-led postseason appearance will come with higher expectations to end the drought.
The Clippers likely face even more pressure.
The franchise has never played in a Western Conference finals, and with Leonard and George in Year 2 of their pairing, the Clippers and their fans have adopted a championship-or-bust mentality.
Find more Mavericks coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
