The Clippers host the Mavericks for Game 2 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals. The Clippers took Game 1 in convincing fashion without Kawhi Leonard in the lineup and I'll back them to take Game 2 as well. I simply don't think that the Mavericks should be favored here, even without Leonard in the lineup. The Clippers defense was stifling in Game 1. They held Dallas to 38.8% shooting and 30.3% from three-point range. I expect them to do it again. The Clippers still have enough scoring with Paul George and James Harden in the lineup, but got other contributions from Ivica Zubac and Russell Westbroook. That was the case in Game 1 for LA, but outside of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, the Mavericks offense was non-existent. So unless they get extraordinary efforts from someone else, the Clippers should win another game at home. The Mavericks spent the last two weeks of the regular season beating up on the bottom feeder teams in the NBA to climb into the five seed, but I don't know that they are as good as the Clippers, even without Kawhi.