Mavericks vs. Trail Blazers: NBA odds, Picks and Predictions
Mavericks vs. Trail Blazers Odds
| Mavericks Odds | +7 |
| Trail Blazers Odds | -7 |
| Over/Under | 222 |
| Date | Sun, Jan. 15 |
| Time | 9:00 p.m. |
| TV | BSSW |
On Sunday evening, the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers will meet at the Moda Center. Ahead of tip-off Dallas owns the fifth-best record in the Western Conference at 24-20. Portland, 20-22, is tied with the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns for the final play-in position in the standings. Nonetheless, oddsmakers are anticipating a Portland victory to close out the week, pricing the Trail Blazers as 7-point home favorites on the spread.
Dallas Mavericks
Doncic, Wood listed as questionable
Though Luka Doncic is listed as questionable ahead of tip-off, he is likely closer to doubtful as of this writing. Following a 53-minute heroic performance in Hollywood on Thursday, Doncic scored a season-low 15 points on 7-for-19 shooting yesterday against Portland. After the game, Tim MacMahon observed that Doncic looked “gassed” and speculated that the superstar would be held out of action tonight on the second night of a back-to-back set.
Christian Wood is also listed as questionable for this evening’s contest. On Thursday, he played 47 minutes in a winning effort over the Lakers. He was kept out of the lineup in yesterday’s loss, but seems to be trending towards playing on Sunday.
Who will step up for Dallas?
When Doncic is on the sidelines, Spencer Dinwiddie sees the largest increase in usage (+7.2%). In these situations, he is averaging 20.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per 36 minutes of action, per CourtIQ. In his last four games played with Doncic in street clothes, Dinwiddie has scored 21 points, 27 points, 9 points, 26 points, and 36 points. In the one game in which he scored only nine points, he shot 3-for-18 from the field, with inefficiency rather than lack of volume leading to the poor scoring output.
Portland Trail Blazers
Nearing full health
Tonight, the only player on the roster who is not available to play is Justise Winslow, per Sean Highkin. This team will be led by their alpha, Damian Lillard, who is averaging 29.4 points and 7.2 assists per game at home this season. Yesterday, Lillard collected his fourth consecutive 30-point game, scoring 36 points in only 29 minutes in a 136-119 victory over the Mavericks.
Defend home court
The Trail Blazers have struggled on the defensive end of the floor this season, but they have been much better at home than they have been on the road. Traveling away from the Moda Center, Portland has allowed 114.4 points per 100 possessions. At home, they have allowed only 112.4 points per 100 possessions. Entering play on Sunday, the Trail Blazers are 10-8 at home, compared to 10-14 on the road.
Mavericks vs. Trail Blazers – Picks & Predictions
Per Cleaning the Glass, the Dallas Mavericks rank in the 93rd percentile in offensive efficiency, scoring 120.4 points per 100 possessions, with Luka Doncic on the floor this year. When Doncic is on the sidelines, the Mavericks regress to the 4th percentile in offensive efficiency, scoring only 105.3 points per 100 possessions. The Portland Trail Blazers defense is not the most reliable unit in basketball, but they are capable of making life difficult for the short-handed Mavericks in this spot, a team that will be playing their third game in four nights. Take the under on Dallas’ team total.
PICK: Mavericks Team Total u107.5 points (-120, DraftKings)
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