The Cleveland Cavaliers are in Dallas to take on Luka Doncic and the Mavericks! It’s time to continue our NBA odds series with a Cavaliers-Mavericks prediction and pick.
The Cavs are (17-11) on the season which is good for third in the Eastern Conference. The Donovan Mitchell acquisition is certainly proving to be a turning point for this franchise. This team is now fighting for contention and has already taken down the No. 1 Boston Celtics twice this season. They now have a tough battle in Dallas after coming off a stunning loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
The Mavs are coming off a huge win over the Oklahoma City Thunder Monday night after suffering two-straight losses. Luka scored 38 points in the win while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 42. Dallas improved to (14-13) on the season and hopes that they can remain above .500 for the remainder of the season.
Here are the Cavaliers-Mavericks NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Cavaliers-Mavericks Odds
Cleveland Cavaliers: +2.5 (-114)
Dallas Mavericks: -2.5 (-106)
Over: 216 (-110)
Under: 216 (-110)
Why The Cavaliers Could Cover The Spread
The great news about this team at this point in the season is that they are healthy. The Brooklyn Nets have turned things around, but the Cavs are the third-best team in the East right now. Their play on both sides of the court proves it. The Cavs allow the fewest points per game at 105.1 which is more than two points lower than the Milwaukee Bucks. The Mavericks, however, are 7th allowing 110.1 per game. This could be a battle on the defensive end.
On the offensive side, the Cavs are in the middle of the pack averaging 110.9 points per game. The Mavs are at 111.9, so there really isn’t much separating the two teams. What stands out for Cleveland is rebounding. The Mavs are the worst rebounding team in the NBA and Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have a chance to dominate the glass.
Donovan Mitchell is 8th in the NBA in scoring at 29 per game and Darius Garland is second on the team averaging 21.4. Mobley, Allen, and Caris LeVert all average north of 12 per game which shows how balanced they are. The Cavs can cover this spread if they dominate the boards and continue to share the wealth.
Why The Mavericks Could Cover The Spread
This team continues to run on Luka Doncic. He’s second in the NBA in scoring at 33.1 per game right behind Joel Embiid. He has scored 30+ in every game this month except for one. There is no doubt the Cavs’ defense is elite, however, Doncic will find a way to keep them in it with his ability to score with ease. The more his teammates step up when it’s their time to shine is what really elevates the Mavericks. Dallas found their way to the Western Conference Finals last year not only because Doncic had the best moments of his career, but because the entire team raised their level of play. They rise up in the biggest moments and this matchup tonight is a huge game.
Spencer Dinwiddie is averaging 16.8 points per game which is second to Doncic, and Christian Wood is right behind him at 16.4. Those three can really hurt opposing defenses with their size and speed at their position. Dinwiddie is a 6-foot-6 point guard that is one of the fastest in the NBA. He’s been their second-best player all year long and scored 20 last game against OKC and 27 before that against the Chicago Bulls. If they want to cover this spread, then Dinwiddie and Wood need to show up tonight.
Final Cavaliers-Mavericks Prediction & Pick
Cleveland is (15-11-2) ATS and Dallas is (8-17-2). Dallas plays a lot better at home than they are (11-4) on the year. I think they show up and potentially win, but I expect the Cavs to play just as well and cover the spread on the road.
Final Cavaliers-Mavericks Prediction & Pick: Cavaliers +2.5 (-114); Over 216 (-110)
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