We're set for our featured NBA betting prediction and pick as we turn our coverage toward two surging teams in their respective conferences. The red-hot Dallas Mavericks will take on the dominant Cleveland Cavaliers as they conclude their season series – Cleveland leads 1-0. Check out our NBA odds series for our Mavericks-Cavaliers prediction and pick.
The Dallas Mavericks are currently second in the Southwest Division and hold the six-seed in the Western Conference standings. They've gone on quite a run and have one of the NBA's longer winner streaks at seven straight games following their most recent 123-113 win over Phoenix. They hope to climb their total to eight and get their revenge on this Cavs team.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are leading the Central Division and are second overall in the Eastern Conference, eight games behind Boston. They came into the All-Star break as the NBA's hottest team, winning 18 of 20 during that final stretch. Since then, however, they've dropped two straight and are still looking for their first win following the break.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Mavericks-Cavaliers Odds
Dallas Mavericks: +3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +134
Cleveland Cavaliers: -3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -158
Over: 233.5 (-110)
Under: 233.5 (-110)
How to Watch Mavericks vs. Cavaliers
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT
TV: Bally Sports Southwest, Bally Sports Ohio, NBA League Pass
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Mavericks Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Dallas Mavericks have been balling out during this seven-game stretch and they've taken down contenders like the 76ers, Knicks, Thunder, and Suns in the process. They'll face another top-2 team in this Cavaliers squad, but they're catching them off a few bad nights following the All-Star break. With Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic fully healthy and playing together, we're finally getting a good glimpse of what this Mavericks team is capable of. After Irving's 34 points in their win over San Antonio, Doncic owned the Suns once again the following night with 41 points and the win. Expect them to continue running through great teams if this pairing can stay consistent.
The Mavericks' fell to Cleveland two months back in a 110-113 loss. Luka's 39 points wasn't enough to get them over the hump, but it's worth noting Kyrie Irving was out for that game. With him fully healthy and heading back to his former house in Cleveland, expect Irving to make a noticeable difference for the Mavs throughout this game.
Why The Cavaliers Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Cavaliers mounted on of the more impressive runs of the season so far and propelled themselves into the two-seed almost in the blink of an eye. Since then, however, they've been without Donovan Mitchell and have dropped a few games due to the fact. He's ‘probable' to make the start against the Wizards their game prior, so we should see them pick up some wins and get back to streaking in the right direction. While Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have been holding it down during Mitchell's absence, they'd like to see more out of them in terms of scoring as a tandem and spreading the floor.
The Cleveland Cavaliers rank second league-wide in points scored against them and their consistent defense has been the backbone of their success. While Mobley and Allen may not always see big scoring nights, they're always making a difference in the paint and turning away opportunities for the opposition. They'll need to play fast and get up and running against this Mavericks team with Derrick Lively returning from injury and a rather inexperienced interior for Dallas.
Final Mavericks-Cavaliers Prediction & Pick
Luka Doncic has been carrying this Mavericks team all season and with Kyrie Irving coming into the fold as a consistent option, this Dallas team immediately becomes a contender in the Western Conference. Their last game with Cleveland was razor-thin and with Kyrie Irving being available this time around, expect him to put on a show in his first return to Cleveland in some time.
The Cavaliers, however, didn't get here by luck and they're probably the most consistent defensive team in the NBA at the moment. We'll see how Donovan Mitchell fares when he returns against Washington, but his availability immediately makes this a much closer matchup.
The Mavericks have gone 4-1 ATS in their last five, while the Cavaliers have gone just 1-4. Donovan Mitchell returning will certainly make this a closer game, but we like Dallas to continue rolling in this one. Let's roll with the Mavericks to cover the spread.
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Final Mavericks-Cavaliers Prediction & Pick: Dallas Mavericks +3.5 (-110)
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