Dallas Mavs OT Win Over Clippers: It's a 'Rivalry,' Right?

Tuesday's night's contest featuring the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers provided the drama as expected. Following the game, Clippers' forward Marcus Morris Sr. made a comment suggesting there is no rivalry. The stats suggest otherwise.

"You beat somebody enough, it leaves a bad taste in their mouth. We beat them all the time."

Marcus Morris Sr. is a man of many words, especially regarding the Dallas Mavericks. Despite losing to the Mavericks in overtime Tuesday night, a final period during which the Los Angeles Clippers failed to register a field goal, Morris Sr. confidently stated Dallas stands no chance against the Clippers.

However, contrary to the Clippers forward's beliefs, there is a rivalry. Aside from the 2020 six-game postseason series and the seven-game playoff matchup of 2021, the regular-season matchup has been a tight one. 

Since last season, the series is 6-6, including five wins on the road for the Mavericks- notably the 51-point destruction bestowed upon the Clippers.

Though the Mavericks have yet to win a playoff series over the Clippers, there is an ongoing war of words.

"The refs don't even let me breathe on (Luka Doncic)," Morris Sr. said. Perhaps the officials remember the 2020 playoff series where he and No. 77 shared some not-so-warm moments. 

The flames heighten after every game, often due to the postgame comments and in-game conflicts. 

Morris Sr's complaints of the refs' officiating between the two invoke specific memories.

Every Mavericks-Clippers contest exudes a playoff atmosphere - a climate in which people spew expletives, purposely step on hurt ankles and attack the above-the-head area. 

Players emphatically taunt each other over height size - or at least that's what Luka did Tuesday after muscling his way inside before informing Terance Mann, "(You're) too f----- small!''

Ultimately, the Mavs got the final word here. Better-than-ever Kristaps Porzingis and back-from-injury Luka Doncic combined for a blistering 56 points, earning Dallas the victory. ... and bragging rights.

Feb. 10 marks the next Mavericks-Clippers matchup. That's four days before Valentines' Day, but still, there will be no love lost between the two franchises.