Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA
Dallas Mavericks vs Oklahoma City Thunder: Will OKC stay on top of the West?
The Dallas Mavericks are visiting the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on Saturday.
The Mavs clinched a playoff berth
The Dallas Mavericks are fifth in the Western Conference with a 50-31 record. After winning five consecutive games, the Mavs lost 107-89 to the Detroit Pistons. The Mavericks are fifth in the league, scoring 118.6 points per game, and are ranked third, making 14.8 three-pointers per game. Luka Doncic has his case for the MVP award this season, leading the league with 33.9 points per game, and he also averages 9.8 assists and 9.2 rebounds per game.
The Thunder are having their best season in a decade
The Oklahoma City Thunder are on top of the Western Conference with a 56-25 record. They have won the last four games and are coming off a 125-107 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. OKC is third in the league, averaging 119.8 points per game on 49.8% shooting from the field. They are the best three-point shooting team in the NBA, with 38.9% from behind the arc. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is second in the league, averaging 30.4 points per game.
Betting Trends
The last seven games between these two teams and 4 of the last 5 played in Oklahoma City have gone over the total point line. The Thunder have played over in 8 of their last 11 games overall and 4 of the last 5 games against teams from the Southwest Division.
Prediction and Conclusion
Both teams have achieved their goals by making it to the playoffs. The Thunder are still in the chase for the top seed in the Western Conference, as they are in the lead and tied with the Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves with the same record. Last year, the Mavs missed not just the playoffs but the play-in tournament as well, so being back there is a huge step forward for Jason Kidd’s team. They lost to the Detroit Pistons without Luka Doncic in the last one, and the top scorer in the NBA is expected to be back for this one. These two teams usually go over the total point line when they go against each other, and that will be the case tonight as well, with the total point line being set at 235.
