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Thunder vs Mavericks: A real test for the Mavs
The Oklahoma City Thunder are visiting the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on Saturday night.
The Thunder are targeting the top of the conference
The Oklahoma City Thunder are second in the Western Conference with a 35-16 record. After winning three consecutive games, the Thunder lost 124-117 to the Utah Jazz in the last one. The Thunder are second in the league, shooting 50.1% from the field, they are ranked third with 39.2% shooting from three-point territory, and they are fourth, scoring 120.8 points per game. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the second-best scorer in the league, averaging 31.1 points per game.
The Mavericks are looking for their fourth straight win
The Dallas Mavericks are eighth in the Western Conference with a 29-23 record. They have won the last three games and are coming off a 122-108 road win against the New York Knicks, with Luka Doncic recording 39 points and 11 assists. The Slovenian is the leading scorer in the league, averaging 34.8 points per game, and he also adds 9.5 assists and 8.8 rebounds per game. Dallas is second in the league, making 15.2 three-pointers per game, and tenth, scoring 118.3 points per game.
Betting Trends
The Thunder are 1-5 ATS in the last six games overall and are 4-2 ATS in the last 6 road games. Dallas is 0-5 ATS in the last five home games.
Prediction and Conclusion
The Dallas Mavericks were very active before the NBA trade deadline and added two players that will make them much better in the second half of the season. Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington are expected to make their debuts for the Mavericks tonight. Gafford will provide the much-needed presence in the paint for the Mavs, and Washington will benefit from Doncic’s assists. OKC is only half a game behind the top seed in the West and will try to get there after this game. The Thunder are a 2.5-point favorite in this one. We will see a matchup between the two best scorers in the league, as Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander both average way above 30 points per night. This should be a close game, with the Mavericks covering the given spread.
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