We're set to bring you yet another prediction and pick for Saturday's slate of action around the Association. We shift our attention towards the Western Conference for this next matchup as the Oklahoma City Thunder (12-6) are set to take on the Dallas Mavericks (11-7). Check out our NBA odds series for our Thunder-Mavericks prediction and pick.

The Oklahoma City Thunder are currently third in the Northwest Division and they've gone 7-3 in their last 10 games heading into this one. After back-to-back losses against the 76ers and Timberwolves, the Thunder were able to notch a big 133-110 win over the Lakers in their last game. They'll be hoping for the same type of success against a streaky Mavs team.

The Dallas Mavericks are leading the Southwest Division by one game and they've got the New Orleans Pelicans firmly on their heels in second place. They're just 3-5 in their last eight games and they'll need to string together consecutive wins if they want to build their lead. Their last outing was a bad 94-108 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, so they'll be determined to get right with a win at home.

Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NBA Odds: Thunder-Mavericks Odds

Oklahoma City Thunder: -4 (-110)

Dallas Mavericks: +4 (-110)

Over: 235.5 (-110)

Under: 235.5 (-110)

How to Watch Thunder vs. Mavericks

Time: 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m. PT

TV: Bally Sports Southwest, NBA League Pass

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Thunder Could Cover The Spread

The Thunder have had an impressive stretch over their last 10 games and they were able to string together six straight wins with victories over the Spurs, Suns, and Warriors. Their last game was a huge statement as they defended their home floor and blew the Lakers out by 23 points. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had a beautiful performance with 33 points and seven assists. He was an extremely efficient 11-18 from the field and went perfect on all 10 of his free throw attempts. When he's on his game, he instantly propels this squad to a championship-caliber team.

While Chet Holmgren struggled to find his shooting stroke their last time out, he still managed to play a big role on defense and does a ton of work in drawing defenses towards him with the ball in his hands. He'll have a great matchup here against Dereck Lively, so expect Holmgren to work some of his post moves as he tries to get himself going from the field. With how poorly the Mavericks played their last game, don't be surprised if the Thunder can jump out to an early lead and open this game up with their transition offense.

Why The Mavericks Could Cover The Spread

After being betting favorites against the shorthanded Memphis Grizzlies, the Mavericks lost by 16 points and shot a cold 37% from the field in that game. Of course, not having Luka Doncic in the lineup is what hurt them the most, but they were still expected to have the advantage with Kyrie Irving leading the charge. Irving struggled at just 3-15 from the floor and Grant Williams led their team with just 16 points. They certainly looked to be in disarray without their superstar floor general, so they'll need to find answers in a hurry if he's not able to go for this game.

I expect the Mavericks to have a much better showing at home as Kyrie Irving is bound to have more of an impact on offense. It seemed like a cold shooting night for the team as a whole and given their resilience this years, they'll be ready to play a more competitive game against the Thunder. This game could also be a preview of things to come during the Western Conference playoffs, so Dallas should look to gain dominance in this series whether Doncic plays or not. The bright side is that they're continuing to take care of the basketball and limit turnovers even with him off the floor.

Final Thunder-Mavericks Prediction & Pick

This will be the first meeting of the season between these two teams and it's still unclear whether Luka Doncic will suit up or not. Given the close betting line, it may be trending towards him playing, which will give the Mavericks their best chance to win. They seriously need him to run their offense and they'll need Kyrie Irving to add to the scoring totals as well.

However, the Thunder are playing better at the moment and they'll be the healthier team for this game. They have a ton of size on the offensive end and I expect Chet Holmgren to go to work against the Mavericks team. For our prediction, let's go with the Thunder to cover on the road.

Final Thunder-Mavericks Prediction & Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder -4 (-110)