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Mavericks vs Warriors: Can the Warriors bounce back?
The Golden State Warriors are looking to bounce back after losing the last two games when the Dallas Mavericks visit Chase Center. The Mavericks have a lot of issues with injuries lately, and neither Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving will play in this one.
It’s all about Doncic in Dallas
The Dallas Mavericks are sixth in the Western Conference with an 18-14 record. They are 10-7 on the road and 4-6 in the last 10 games. The Mavericks are coming off a 118-110 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, with Tim Hardaway Jr. scoring 32 points. Luka Doncic missed this game after scoring at least 39 points in the previous three contests. Doncic is the second-best scorer in the league, averaging 33.7 points per game, and he also adds 9.2 assists (3rd) and 8.4 rebounds per game.
The Warriors lost the last two
The Golden State Warriors are 11th in the Western Conference with a 15-16 record. They are 9-7 at home and are going into this game after losing the last two contests. On Christmas Day, they lost against the defending champion Denver Nuggets, followed by a 114-102 loss to the Miami Heat. The Warriors shot only 24% from deep in this game, with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson leading the team with 13 points each. Curry is the top scorer for the Warriors, averaging 27.4 points per game.
Betting Trends
The Golden State Warriors are 8-1 straight up in their last 9 home games and are 5-1 straight up in their last six games when playing home against Dallas. The Mavericks are 2-5 straight up in their last seven games.
Player to watch
Tim Hardaway Jr. will have a chance to shine for the Mavericks as Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are out with injuries. Hardaway Jr. is the Mavs’ third-best scorer averaging 18 points per game. He shoots 41.1% from the field and 36.2% from the three-point line.
Injury Reports
Gary Payton II is out with an injury while Draymond Green is suspended for the Warriors. Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Maxi Kleber are out for the Mavericks.
Prediction and Conclusion
Both teams are going through a difficult time of the season. The Warriors started playing well with Draymond Green out, but have lost the last two games. Kyrie Irving has been out for the Mavs in the last three weeks, and to make things even worse for coach Jason Kidd, now Luka Doncic is out as well. The Warriors need to step up and get themselves in the top half of the Western Conference. As bad as they have been in the past week, the Warriors are still in a much better situation than the Mavs and will take advantage of that and get back on the winning track.
