Mavericks vs Raptors Prediction NBA Picks 2/28/24

Toronto Raptors (22-36) vs Dallas Mavericks (33-24)

Game Info: Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at 7:30 pm (Scotiabank Arena)

Betting Odds: Toronto Raptors +2.5 -- Over/Under: 245

The Dallas Mavericks travel to the Scotiabank Arena to battle the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night. Here’s a Mavs vs Raptors Prediction.

Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks look to have cooled off from their seven-game win streak as they are now hoping to avoid a third straight defeat after falling just short to the Cavaliers in a 121-119 road loss last night. Luka Doncic led the team with 45 points, nine rebounds and 14 assists, Kyrie Irving added 30 points on 12 of 24 shooting while PJ Washington chipped in with 11 points but no other player finished in double figures in scoring. As a team, the Mavericks shot 52 percent from the field and 14 of 33 from the 3-point line as they looked to be in control when they led by seven points with just 3:17 left in the fourth quarter, only to get outscored by 15-6 in the final 2:57 to allow the Cavaliers off the hook.

Toronto Raptors

Meanwhile, the Toronto Raptors are starting to build some momentum as they are now aiming for a fourth straight victory after outlasting the Pacers in a 130-122 road win on Monday. RJ Barrett led the team with 24 points and five assists on 11 of 16 shooting, Scottie Barnes racked up a triple-double of 21 points with 12 rebounds, 12 assists and five blocks while Immanuel Quickley chipped in with 19 points. As a team, the Raptors shot a healthy 55 percent from the field and 12 of 28 from the 3-point line as they found their rhythm early and traded with the Pacers in a close contest, until the fourth quarter where they exploded for 40 points thanks to plenty of support from their bench.

Toronto Raptors Player Facts

• Gary Trent Jr. ranks 13th in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for 3P% (41.4%) this season.
• Immanuel Quickley ranks 14th in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for 3P% (41.1%) this season.

Dallas Mavericks Player Facts

• Luka Doncic ranks 1st amongst qualified players for points per game (34.5) this season.
• P.J. Washington is one of only two players to have scored 40+ points off the bench in a game this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Raptors rank 29th in the league for free throw percentage this season (75.1%).
• The Raptors rank 3rd in the league for assists per game this season (29.3).
• The Mavericks rank 2nd in the league for opponent blocks per game this season (4.0).
• The Mavericks rank 2nd in the league for opponent free throw percentage this season (76.0%).

Mavs vs Raptors Prediction

The Mavericks are still missing Dante Exum, while the Raptors are keeping an eye on Jakob Poeltl who is questionable with an ankle sprain. The Mavericks are coming into this one fresh off a second straight loss, but they really should've beaten the Cavaliers last night and they are still the hotter team in this matchup despite the Raptors' recent uptick in form. The Raptors beat the Mavericks by 127-116 back on Nov 8, but the Raptors have struggled since then while the Mavericks were red hot before dropping their last two games. This should be a close one, but I'm a little more comfortable backing the Mavericks to bounce back and get the win and cover at the short line.

The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a PickDawgz site consensus.