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We're back with our final prediction and pick of today's NBA slate as we head over to the Western Conference for the first meeting between two exciting teams. The Dallas Mavericks (18-14) will take on the Golden State Warriors (15-16) as both teams try to rebound from back-to-back losses. Check out our NBA odds series for our Mavericks-Warriors prediction and pick.
The Dallas Mavericks are currently leading the Southwest Division and they're sitting at sixth-place in the Western Conference standings. They've gone 4-6 over their last 10 games and have had to deal with a number of injuries to their starting lineup. They come into this one looking for a win after their most recent 110-118 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Golden State Warriors are currently last in the Pacific Division and they find themselves on the fringe of a play-in spot in the West. They're 5-5 in their last 10 games, but they saw a spark of success when they notched a five-game winning streak. Still, the Warriors will come in looking to bounce back after consecutive losses to the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Mavericks-Warriors Odds
Dallas Mavericks: +4 (-114)
Golden State Warriors: -4 (-106)
Over: 242.5 (-110)
Under: 242.5 (-110)
How to Watch Mavericks vs. Warriors
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET/ 5:30 p.m. PT
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TV: Bally Sports Southwest, NBC Sports Bay Area, NBA League Pass
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Mavericks Could Cover The Spread
Kyrie Irving will remain ‘doubtful' for the Mavericks as Luka Doncic heads into this contest with a ‘questionable' designation. He's been find for the most part, but we've seen him sidelined for a game throughout the season, so don't be surprised if they play it cautiously with Doncic and his injury. While they'll also be without Maxi Kleber, Dereck Lively Jr. returns to the lineup and brings his defensive presence back to the paint. He's been a huge difference for the Mavericks this year as he serves a complementary scoring roll to Doncic. The two have created an efficient pick-and-roll game with each other and we should see it in full display if they're both able to go.
The Mavericks will need Luka Doncic and his clutch three-point scoring to win this game. They'll also be returning Tim Hardaway Jr. who has also been a sharpshooter for them this season. Expect the Mavericks to establish Lively in the post early in this game as they try to find a mismatch with his size. Dante Exum has also been a solid piece for them in the starting lineup, they're just waiting for him to find his rhythm and show what he's capable of in terms of scoring. All in all, this Mavericks team matches up well against the Warriors and it'll be interesting to see how their perimeter defenders handle Curry and Thompson.
Why The Warriors Could Cover The Spread
The Warriors saw a nice string of success over their five-game streak just recently and we saw some vintage performances from both Steph Curry and Klay Thompson with their shooting from three. They haven't been much of the splash brothers this season, but the recent success has left room for them to play more like theirselves of old. In their last win over the Portland Trail Blazers, Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 28 points on 6-10 shooting from three. They're clearly a different team when he's shooting the ball well and his production has been vital to their success. The Warriors have also found a home in their defense and ability to pressure opponents with their on-ball defense. Brandon Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga have been big spark plugs for them with their steals and activity on the defensive end.
To win this game against the Mavericks, the Warriors will have to see a solid game out of Andrew Wiggins. It's unclear if he'll be coming off the bench or not, but his length and versatile scoring could be an advantage with an undersize Mavericks frontcourt. He hasn't been playing like his full self lately, so this could be a game where they feed him the ball and try to get him going early. Curry will still be the main catalyst here and his success from three-point range will be key for the Warriors to keep up with the Mavericks.
Final Mavericks-Warriors Prediction & Pick
This first meeting between these two squads should be a fun one and we should see the three-ball in full effect throughout the game. I expect both teams to try and shoot themselves into a rhythm as the better team from deep should have the advantage here. Instead of picking a side, let's roll with both teams to find success on offense as they combine to hit the total over.
Final Mavericks-Warriors Prediction & Pick: OVER 242.5 (-110)
