The LA Clippers have a tough test with the Dallas Mavericks

The LA Clippers are set to face the Dallas Mavericks in the opening round of the playoffs, which means they will have to find a way to make life difficult on Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. When asked about this prior to Wednesday’s practice, Clippers star James Harden said it will be important for his team to create good schemes around the two Dallas stars.

“Luka takes all the pressure and the double teams and things like that,” Harden said. “[Kyrie] obvioulsy demands that same kind of attention, can score with the best of them. I think we all have seen it over his career. He’s done it at the highest level.

So for us, I think it’s just creating some really good schemes around both of those two guys to where it’s just making it as difficult as possible. They’re gonna get their attempts up, so they’re gonna score the basketball, but I think making it as difficult as we can, possession by possession, is very key for us.”

The Mavericks will of course face similar issues with the Clippers, who have three stars in their starting lineup with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Harden. The status of Leonard remains a question mark, but he is currently with the team and undergoing a ramp up process that the Clippers hope will have him ready for Game 1.