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The Dallas Mavericks will travel to Ohio to face off with the Cleveland Cavaliers in a Saturday night showdown from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Mavericks-Cavaliers prediction and pick.
The Mavericks defeated the Portland Trailblazers 130-110 on Friday night. Luka Doncic led all Mavs with 33 points while shooting 11 for 18 from the floor, including 5 for 9 from the triples. Additionally, he had six rebounds and nine assists. Tim Hardaway Jr. added 17 points while shooting 7 for 10 from the field. Meanwhile, Christian Wood came off the bench to score 32 points while shooting 11 for 17 from the floor. Wood also pulled 12 rebounds.
The Cavaliers defeated the Indiana Pacers 118-112 on Friday night. Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 41 points while shooting 14 for 24 from the floor, including eight shots from beyond the arc. Likewise, Darius Garland added 20 points and distributed 10 assists. Evan Mobley also contributed with 16 points and nine rebounds.
The Cavaliers lead the all-time series 42-40. Moreover, they defeated the Mavericks 105-90 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. Mitchell led the Cavs in the win with 34 points. Furthermore, Lamar Stevens added 18 points. Jarrett Allen also contributed with 14 rebounds and six rebounds, while Mobley added 14 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Conversely, Doncic led the Mavs with 30 points, while Wood added 20 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
The Mavs are 6-4 over their previous 10 games, while the Cavs are 6-4. Also, the Mavs are 3-9 on the road, while the Cavs are 13-2 at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Here are the Mavericks-Cavaliers NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Mavericks-Cavaliers Odds
Dallas Mavericks: +4 (-112)
Cleveland Cavaliers: -4 (-108)
Over: 216 (-108)
Under: 216 (-108)
Why The Mavericks Could Cover The Spread
The Mavs have one significant star in Doncic. Additionally, Spencer Dinwiddie has shown he can contribute when asked. But the Mavs also have a gem in Wood. Stunningly, his contribution off the bench had paid dividends for a Dallas team looking for help for Doncic.
Doncic averages 33 points per game on 49.5 percent field goal shooting. Likewise, he averages 8.5 rebounds per game and 8.6 assists per game. But Doncic will not play today. Thus, it makes it tougher for the Mavs. Dinwiddie averages 16.6 points per game and 5.4 assists and he also will sit out. Meanwhile, Wood averages 16.2 points per game on 54.5 percent shooting from the floor. He also has 7.5 rebounds per game. Then, there is Hardaway. He averages 12.8 points per game.
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Despite this, the Mavs rank 27th in points, 29th in field goal percentage, and 15th in three-point shooting percentage. Dallas also is only 29th from the free-throw line. However, they have excelled at dominating the boards and executing careful precision with the ball. The Mavs rank fifth in rebounds and second in turnovers. Ultimately, it has not translated to great defense. Dallas ranks 28th in blocked shots.
The Mavericks will cover the spread if Hardaway can dominate in Doncic and Dinwiddie's absense. Likewise, Dallas needs everyone else to perform to a spectacular level and for Wood to continue his superior bench production. But the Mavs ultimately must find an answer for Mitchell and the rest of the high-powered Cavs offense.
Why The Cavaliers Could Cover The Spread
The Cavaliers were already a good team. Then, they traded for Mitchell and became a great team. The Cavs sit at 19-11 and two games behind the Milwaukee Bucks in the Central Division.
Mitchell averages 29.2 points per game on 50.2 percent shooting. Significantly, the Cavs have felt his impact on the floor with his ability to generate shots, distribute the ball, and power the Cavs to victory. Garland averages 20.9 points per game with 7.8 assists per game. Ultimately, he has benefited greatly from Mitchell. Garland no longer has to carry the load by himself. Additionally, Mobley has continued to excel. Mobley averages 15.1 points per game on 55.7 percent shooting. Likewise, he has 9.4 rebounds per game. Allen averages 14.2 points per game on 61.7 percent shooting. Additionally, he pulls down 10.3 rebounds per game.
The Cavs rank 24th in points, 10th in field goal percentage, and ninth in three-point shooting average. Meanwhile, Cleveland also ranks seventh at the charity stripe. The Cavs have struggled on the boards, ranking 21st in rebounding. However, they have taken care of the ball, ranking 11th in turnovers. The Cavs also rank 25th in blocked shots.
The Cavaliers will cover the spread if Mitchell can get hot early and then generate some double teams to allow his teammates to run free. Substantially, it will help them wear down a Dallas team that has one of the best players in the game.
Final Mavericks-Cavaliers Prediction & Pick
The Mavs had a short turnaround flight from Dallas to Cleveland. Consequently, it might affect them and their performance in this one. Doncic has just been ruled out from the game so the advantage goes to Cleveland. Expect the Cavs to win this game and likely cover the spread, possibly by double digits.
Final Mavericks-Cavaliers Prediction & Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers: -4 (-108)
