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The NBA season continues with games on Monday. The Dallas Mavericks will travel to take on the Portland Trail Blazers. It's time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Mavericks-Blazers prediction and pick.
These two teams have had somewhat similar seasons thus far. The Dallas Mavericks come into this game 15-17 and have lost their last two games. The Portland Trail Blazers are 13-19 and are also coming off a loss. This should be a good match between two teams trying to turn things around.
Here are the odds for the Mavericks-Blazers Monday night NBA matchup, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Mavericks-Blazers Odds
Dallas Mavericks: -1.5 (-110)
Portland Trail Blazers: +1.5 (-110)
Over: 212.5 (-110)
Under: 212.5 (-110)
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Why The Mavericks Could Cover The Spread
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The Dallas Mavericks have not been having a great season. Through their first 32 games they have a losing record with 15 wins and 17 losses. This is in large part due to persistent injuries to key players. Dallas is coming off back to back losses, with their most recent loss coming by 4 against the Jazz. The Mavericks actually looked pretty impressive in that game as they battled a healthy Utah team. If Dallas can bring that same energy into this game then they should be able to come out ahead. They just need to persevere as they battle with injuries to their team.
While the Mavericks ended up losing to the Utah Jazz, the statistics were nearly even across the board. Dallas kept pace with one of the best teams in the league and actually gave them a run for their money. One of the most impressive aspects of Dallas' game was how they were able to get to the line and make their free throws. Even though most teams should be able to do this, very few actually do. Dallas took 35 free throws and made 30 of them. This is a very impressive feat. If the Mavericks are able to maintain their tenacity and get to the line on Monday, then they should be able to pull away in this game.
As COVID has swept the league, the Mavericks have been crippled. Dallas currently has five players in the league's health and safety protocols. Headlining the players that will not be available for Monday's contest is Luka Doncic. Luka has been out since December 22, and it continues to be a big hit to this team. Dallas will continue to turn to other players like Kristaps Porzingis and Jalen Brunson to step up on Monday. The Mavericks have shown that they can battle and if they come into Monday ready then they should be able to get the win.
Why The Blazers Could Cover The Spread
The Portland Trail Blazers have been struggling this season. Through their first 32 games they have only managed to win 13 games. They are coming off a 14 point loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, and will be looking to turn things around on Monday. Like every team in the league, the Blazers are also battling through COVID. This will be a very tough match for Portland, but they could step up to the challenge. The Blazers will need to make up for the shortcomings in their previous match and will rely on bench players to step up in the absence of some starters.
The Blazers just couldn't keep pace with the Pelicans in their last game. Across all metrics New Orleans was ahead. The scoring was somewhat even, but New Orleans made 7 more shots and that was enough to put away Portland. What the Blazers most notably need to work on is rebounding and ball movement. Portland was out rebounded by 13 and had 9 fewer assists than the Pelicans. These things will only get tougher for the Blazers as more players enter COVID protocols. The impact of that has yet to be seen, but this game will likely be a challenge for Portland.
While COVID has affected every team in the league, it has done so to varying degrees. The Blazers are one of the teams that have been seriously affected. Portland currently has five players in the league's health and safety protocols. This includes new additions since their last game, including Jusuf Nurkic and Cody Zeller. On top of that, CJ McCollum remains out and Damian Lillard is questionable for this game. It's hard to see how a team can battle through all this adversity and come out on top. Monday will likely be a struggle for Portland.
Final Mavericks-Blazers Prediction & Pick
As previously stated, the Blazers have just been smashed by COVID. While the Mavericks are also dealing with a lot of impacted players, they have played games since those players have been gone and have had time to adjust. The Blazers, on the other hand, will be playing their most crippled game yet on Monday. On top of that, if Damian Lillard is out then this is an absolute no brainer. Pick the Mavericks to win and cover.
FINAL MAVERICKS-BLAZERS PICK: Dallas Mavericks -1.5 (-110)
FINAL MAVERICKS-BLAZERS SCORE PREDICTION: Mavericks 107 – Blazers 95
