The Western Conference play-in race is no longer a distant concern for the Dallas Mavericks. It is forming in real time, with teams below them accelerating and little separation protecting the middle of the standings.
The most notable mover is the LA Clippers, who have surged behind a renewed offensive identity and a dominant stretch from Kawhi Leonard. A season-best five-game winning streak has pulled Los Angeles closer to Dallas and tightened an already crowded cluster of teams jockeying for play-in positioning.
For the Mavericks, the timing matters. Anthony Davis has been removed from the injury report and is set to return after missing two games with right groin/adductor soreness, a development Dallas hopes can help stabilize both its defense and late-game execution. Head coach Jason Kidd confirmed Wednesday that Davis is expected to play while noting that Dereck Lively II, Kyrie Irving, and Danté Exum remain sidelined.
“We always want him to play, so we’re happy to have him back,” Kidd said. “We’ll see — 30 to 34 minutes. We want to get him some touches. Offensively and defensively, we need him to be AD.”
Entering Thursday’s NBA action, the 12th-ranked Mavericks and 13th-ranked Clippers are both 17 games back of the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. Dallas enters at 12–22, while Los Angeles sits at 11–21.
From a play-in perspective, the Mavericks remain within striking distance. Dallas trails the Utah Jazz, who sit 11th, by one game and is two games back of the Portland Trail Blazers in the 10th spot. The Clippers’ recent surge has further compressed that margin, turning the lower play-in race into a nightly battle where small swings in momentum can quickly reshape the standings.
Los Angeles Clippers’ Surge Reshapes the Middle Tier
Los Angeles no longer resembles the plodding, inconsistent team that struggled to gain traction earlier in the season. The Clippers have increased their pace, leaned more heavily into perimeter shooting, and, most importantly, re-centered their offense around Leonard as a primary scoring engine.
Leonard is averaging 37.8 points during the five-game winning streak, a run that includes a career-high 55-point performance against Detroit. During the streak, the Clippers are making 16.8 three-pointers per game while shooting 43.8% from beyond the arc, a significant jump from their season-long averages of 13.2 made threes on 36.6% shooting.
“I think we’re just playing better (and) the cream is rising to the top,” Leonard said. “You see all the work guys are putting in and they’re making (3-pointers) now.”
The improved results have come despite center Ivica Zubac playing only 11 total minutes during the winning streak because of a sprained left ankle. Head coach Tyronn Lue pointed to urgency and clarity as driving forces behind the turnaround.
“We’re growing as a team and understanding what we need to do,” Lue said. “Our backs were against the wall, and our guys are responding.”
The Clippers’ recent blowout wins and offensive efficiency have turned them from a fading veteran group into an active threat to climb further, adding pressure to every team hovering around the play-in line.
Dallas Mavericks Searching for Footing as Pressure Builds
Dallas enters the new year attempting to reset after a difficult close to December. The Mavericks lost three straight games and five of their final six to end 2025, including a winless three-game road trip through Golden State, Sacramento, and Portland.
Kidd pointed to slow starts and defensive lapses as recurring issues during that stretch, particularly from beyond the arc.
“The slow starts. We have to be better defensively,” Kidd said. “We had opportunities to win. We’ve got to get off to better starts. Right now it seems like everybody’s making threes, and we’ve got to do better there too.”
In Monday’s 125-122 loss at Portland, Dallas allowed 16 three-pointers on 39% shooting, continuing a trend that has frustrated the coaching staff. Two nights earlier, Sacramento knocked down 17 of 38 from deep against the Mavericks.
“It seems like right now, everybody’s making threes on us,” Kidd said.
Execution late in games has also been a focal point, especially with Dallas frequently playing from behind.
“When you’re behind, you expend a lot of energy,” Kidd said. “The fourth quarter is where games are won or lost, and we have to be better.”
Davis’ return is expected to help on both fronts, particularly defensively. Kidd noted that earlier this month, chemistry began to form when Davis shared extended minutes with the rest of the rotation, including Cooper Flagg.
“A lot of it is chemistry,” Kidd said. “When guys get minutes with AD, relationships are created. I thought him and Cooper were starting to play at a very high level. Having AD helps us win ball games.”
Naji Marshall echoed that sentiment, pointing to the defensive foundation Dallas can establish when fully intact.
“We were a really big group,” Marshall said. “It’s hard to score in the paint. Defensively it lets us pressure the ball knowing we’ve got Gaff and PJ back there.”
A Tightening Western Conference Picture
While the Clippers’ surge stands out, they are not the only team compressing the standings. Memphis, Portland, and Golden State remain tightly grouped in the lower half of the play-in field, while teams just above that tier have yet to create meaningful separation.
The result is a Western Conference middle class where momentum can alter positioning quickly. A five-game stretch now carries postseason implications, and execution in close games has taken on added weight.
For Dallas, Davis’ return offers immediate on-court value — but it also marks a shift in expectations. With the Clippers trending upward and the standings tightening, the Mavericks are no longer simply trying to weather injuries. They are defending ground in a race that is accelerating by the week.
As the calendar turns, the play-in picture is coming into focus. The Clippers have announced themselves as a factor again. Dallas, with Davis back, now faces the task of converting opportunity into separation before the race closes further.
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