The Dallas Mavericks head to Portland on Sunday night to take on the Trail Blazers on the second night of a back-to-back for the Mavericks. They come into their game on Saturday night in Utah with a record of 11-8 and are very much in the hunt for one of the top spots in the Western Conference. The Trail Blazers are near the bottom of the standings in the Western Conference as they continue to add youth to their roster. The opening tap for this Western Conference matchup is set for 9:10 pm EST.
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Read on for the prediction of the Mavs/Blazers game.
Dallas road trip rolls on
The Dallas Mavericks are back out on the road as they visit the Northwest on Sunday night. The Mavs have won four out of five games heading into Saturday's game in Utah. That includes a rousing 129-114 win over the Knicks at home on Wednesday night. Kyrie Irving led the Mavs with 23 points as the Mavs improved to 4-1 without star guard Luka Doncic, who missed his fourth straight game with a bad wrist. Naji Marshall scored 24 points while Spencer Dinwiddie chipped in with 21. Forward PJ Washington added a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds. The Mavs were also missing Kly Thompson and Daniel Gafford in the victory.
*This article was written before the completion of Saturday night's Jazz/Mavs game.
The Mavs could very well have the services of several key pieces on Sunday night including Doncic, who is listed as a game-time decision. They come into this game ranked 7th in the NBA in scoring offense this season. They are fifth in field goal shooting and 16th in 3-point shooting. The Mavs are 19th in 3-point field goals made per game. They are 9th in the NBA in turnovers per game and have the fourth most efficient offense in the league. Defensively, the Mavs are 9th in scoring defense this season. They are sixth in field goal defense and sixth in 3-point defense. The Mavs are just 20th in forced turnovers and 9th in defensive efficiency. The Mavs are much improved on the glass this season, ranking 12th in the NBA in total rebounds per game.
Key Injuries: PG Luka Doncic is a game-time decision. G Dante Exum is out.
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Blazers ready for Dallas
The Portland Trail Blazers came into Friday night's game against the Kings losers of four of their last five games and just 7-12 overall. The Blazers were ready on Friday night, however, and pulled out a 115-106 win at home against the Sacramento Kings. Up by four at the half, the Blazers outscored the Kings by 11-points in the fourth quarter to give themselves a cushion they would never relinquish. Deandre Ayton led the way with 26 points to go along with nine rebounds. Anfernee Simons chipped in with 21 points for a Blazers team that shot 51 percent on the night. With the win, the Blazers are now 5-4 at home this season.
The Blazers hope to be inhospitable hosts for the visiting Mavs on Sunday night. The Blazers come into this matchup 4-4 at home this season. They are 28th in the NBA in scoring this season. They are last in field goal shooting and 26th in 3-point field goal shooting. The Blazers are 27th in the league in 3-point field goals made per game. They are 29th in turnovers per game and 29th in offensive efficiency. On the defensive end, the Blazers are 19th in scoring defense. They are 15th in field goal defense and 14th in 3-point defense. The Blazers are fifth in forced turnovers this season and 14th in defensive efficiency. The Blazers are 8th in total rebounds per game.
Key Injuries: SG Matisse Thybulle and C Donovan Clingan are out.
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Best Bets for Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Full-Game Side Bet
Insiders Status:
The Mavericks potentially have several players returning to the fold this weekend, including star guard Luka Doncic. Keep an eye on Doncic's status right up until game time. In past years, the threat of not having Doncic was cause for panic. This season, the Mavs are 4-1 without their star guard. While the team certainly would rather have him than not, they are much more equipped to play well without him this year with length in the frontcourt and Kyrie Irving healthy and effective. The biggest improvement has been on the defensive end, and that will be huge against a Blazers team that is ranked dead last in the NBA in shooting. Despite playing a back-to-back, the Mavs have the depth and efficiency on both ends of the floor to bother the Blazers. Dallas is also 7th in the NBA in scoring, so that shouldn't be an issue on Sunday night.
Take the Mavs.
Full-Game Total Pick
Insiders Status:
The Blazers have gone over the point total in each of their last two games, scoring an average of 115 points per game in the process. They should have a slightly easier time on the offensive end Sunday night, with this being the second game of a back-to-back for the Mavericks. Dallas has been one of the better scoring teams in the NBA this season, ranking 7th in the league. They will be a handful for a Blazers team that ranks just 19th in the NBA in scoring defense. The Blazers also turn the ball over at an alarming rate, 29th in the NBA. That should lead to some easy baskets for the Mavericks.
Take the over.
