Dallas Mavericks vs. Golden State Warriors Prediction, Preview, and Odds
The Warriors host the Mavericks in a game that both teams need to win to get back on track on Saturday, Dec. 30. Golden State is 15-16 this season and they are currently out of a playoff spot. They have lost back-to-back games leading into this one including a devastating loss to a short-handed Heat team. The Mavericks are in sixth place in the Western Conference with an 18-14 record. Dallas is coming off two brutal losses to the Cavaliers and the Timberwolves. Golden State and Dallas will tip things off at 8:30 P.M. EST.
Dallas losers of 5 of last 7
The Mavericks are 18-14 overall this season. They are currently in sixth place in the Western Conference. Dallas has lost five of their seven games entering Saturday. The Mavericks have dropped back-to-back games to the Cavaliers and the Timberwolves. The Mavericks blew a big fourth-quarter lead to Cleveland on Wednesday night.
In their last game, the Mavericks lost 118-110 to Minnesota on Thursday, Dec. 28. Dallas’ biggest lead was just three points as the Timberwolves were dominant in the game. The Mavericks shot 44.4% from the field and 42.4% from behind the 3-point line. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 32 points on 11-for-19 shooting off of the bench to lead the team. Luka Doncic did not play in the game against Minnesota, but he is questionable to play against Golden State.
Doncic leads the team in all categories as he is averaging 33.7 points per game, 8.4 boards, and 9.2 assists.
Maxi Kleber and Kyrie Irving are both out for Saturday’s game.
Dallas is averaging 118 points per game which ranks seventh in the league. They are shooting 46.9% from the field which ranks 19th. The Mavericks are the 14th ranked team in 3-point shooting at 36.7% from behind the arc.
On defense, the Mavericks are allowing 117.6 points per game which ranks 21st. They are forcing their opponents to make 48.4% of their field goals which places Dallas 21st. The Mavericks are the 16th best 3-point defensive team as opponents are margin 37.1% from deep.
The Mavericks are 17-15 against the spread this season. They are 11-6 against the spread when they have played on the road. Dallas is 5-5against the spread in their last 10 games. They are 3-4 against the spread when they have been underdogs during this stretch. They are 3-2 against the spread when they have played on the road in their last 10 outings. The over is 19-13 this season when the Mavericks have played. The over is 9-7 when Dallas has played on the road. The under is 4-0 in the Mavericks last four straight road games.
Warriors have lost back-to-back games
Golden State is 15-16 overall this season. They are in 11th place in the Western Conference. After winning five straight games, the Warriors have lost back-to-back games by the Nuggets and the Heat leading into Saturday night.
In their last game, the Warriors lost 114-102 at home on Thursday, Dec. 28. Golden State’s biggest lead was just five points in the game which came early in the first half as the Heat dominated the Warriors. The Warriors shot 42% from the field and 24.2% from behind the arc. The Warriors were dominated in the paint as the Heat outscored them 60-50. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson led the roster with 13 points each in the game.
Curry leads the team with 27.4 points per game. Kevon Looney is the top rebounder with 7.7 boards and Chris Paul is dishing out a team-high 7.5 assists.
Looney is the lone injury as he is questionable for Saturday’s game. Draymond Green is still out on suspension.
Golden State is averaging 116 points per game which ranks ninth in the NBA. They are making 45.9% of their field goals which ranks 25th. The Warriors are the 15th best 3-point shooting in the league at 36.7% from behind the arc.
On defense, Golden State is allowing 115 points per game which ranks 19th. They are allowing their opponents to make 46.3% of their field goals which ranks 11th. The Warriors are the seventh best 3-point defensive team with their opponents making 34.7% from deep.
Golden State is 14-16-1 against the spread this year. They are 5-10-1 against the spread at home. The Warriors are 5-4-1 against the spread in their last 10 games. Golden State is 3-1-1 against the spread at home in their last 10 outings. The over is 17-14 when the Warriors have played this season. The over is 9-7 when the Warriors have played at home. The over is 6-4 in the Warriors last 10 games .
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Full-Game Side Bet
Rating:
Luka Doncic is questionable to play in this game, but even if he doesn’t, I am still taking the Mavericks to cover the spread. The Warriors struggled against a short-handed Miami Heat team in their last game. Dallas’ offensive efficiency will lead them to cover the spread as Golden State’s defense has been poor all season long. The Warriors are struggling to find an identity if Curry is not making shots. The Warriors are 5-10-1 against the spread when they play at home this year. Dallas is 11-6 against the spread when they have played on the road.
Take the Mavericks to cover.
Prediction: Dallas Mavericks +3.5
Full-Game Total Pick
Rating:
The under is the play in this game as the under is 4-0 when Dallas played in their last four games. The Warriors also rank 22nd in pace metrics in the NBA. They are averaging just around 100 possessions per game. Dallas ranks 10th in that metric which is fast, but not good enough to push this high total to an over.
Take the under on Saturday.
Prediction: Under 242
Liam Keating is a local sports journalist in the Kansas City metro area where he covers high school athletes. As a former NAIA college athlete, Liam could not stray far from the sports industry as he studied journalism. Liam has covered an array of sports from high schoolers to college athletes to professional soccer. He is excited to showcase his skills in a new arena of work, sports betting. Liam is pumped to join the great team at Winners and Whiners. Follow along for in-depth previews along with killer picks. You can be up-to-date on Liam’s work on twitter at @ liamkeating7
