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Dallas Mavericks vs Detroit Pistons: Will the Pistons go in tanking mode?
The Dallas Mavericks are visiting the Detroit Pistons on Saturday at Little Caesars Arena.
The Mavericks have a long way to go
The Dallas Mavericks are eighth in the Western Conference with a 35-28 record. After losing three consecutive games, the Mavs won 114-108 against the Miami Heat. That was the fifth consecutive game for Luka Doncic to record a 30-plus-point triple-double. The Slovenian is one of the front runners in the MVP race, leading the league in scoring with 34.6 points per game, and he also adds 9.8 assists and 9 rebounds per game. Dallas is seventh in the league, scoring 118.7 points per game, and is ranked third with 15 three-pointers made per game.
The Pistons have moved from the bottom of the league
The Detroit Pistons are 14th in the Eastern Conference with a 10-52 record. After losing three consecutive games, they won 118-112 against the Brooklyn Nets. The Pistons are 17th in the league, shooting 47.1% from the field, and 18th with 26.3 assists per game. Cade Cunningham leads the team, averaging 22.4 points and 7.5 assists per game.
Betting Trends
Dallas has won 6 of the last 7 games against Detroit. They are 1-4 ATS in the last five games played in March. The Pistons are 5-2 ATS in the last 7 games overall, 4-1 ATS in the last 5 games played on Saturday and 1-4 ATS in the last 5 games against teams from the Southwest Division.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Dallas Mavericks missed the playoffs last season and will have to step up in order to get where they want to be this time around. Luka Doncic is having a fantastic season, but despite his unbelievable individual starts, the Mavs are struggling lately. The Pistons have nothing to lose at this point, as they are in full rebuilding mode and have no pressure. The Mavericks are a -7-point favorite in this one, and they should have no problem covering it. Luka Doncic is too good for any defense in the league, and he has to prove that he is an MVP-caliber player by leading his team to wins, especially against opponents like Detroit.
