The series between the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks has some of the most star power in the first round.

Dallas enters with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving leading the way while Los Angeles features the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and James Harden. At full strength, both teams can make some noise in the Western Conference and it will be interesting to see who advances here.

Major Storylines

The defensive strategies by both teams will be interesting from the start. The Mavericks won 16 out of 18 games late in the season and continue to have great momentum. As for the Clippers, health has been an issue with Leonard and Harden but both seem to be ready to go at the moment.

If healthy, the Clippers have enough bodies on the perimeter to throw at Doncic and Irving. The Mavericks added athleticism this season with Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington. It is not a stretch to say the Mavericks are as legit as any team in the conference.

The Clippers might be star-studded on paper but is there any trust in the entire team playing all seven games, if necessary, in this series? There are plenty of scorers on the roster and defensive threats that will be tasked with slowing down Dallas. It all comes down to who remains on the floor for the longest amount of time.

Each year, there seems to be one team that emerges as one that teams do not want to face. Right now, it seems as though the Mavericks have landed that title entering the postseason.

Series Schedule

• Game 1: Mavericks vs. Clippers; Sunday, April 21 (3:30 p.m., ABC)
• Game 2: Mavericks vs. Clippers; Tuesday, April 23 (10 p.m., TNT)
• Game 3: Clippers vs. Mavericks; Friday, April 26 (8 p.m., ESPN)
• Game 4: Clippers vs. Mavericks; Sunday, April 28 (3:30 p.m., ABC)
• Game 5 (if necessary): Mavericks vs. Clippers; Wednesday, May 1 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 6 (if necessary): Clippers vs. Mavericks; Friday, May 3 (TBD, TBD)
• Game 7 (if necessary): Mavericks vs. Clippers; Sunday, May 5 (TBD, TBD)

Series Prediction: Mavericks in 6