For the third time already this season, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks will be going at each other again. The Thunder have taken the first two meetings—which were both held at Chesapeake Energy Arena—and the Mavericks will be looking to take care of business as the home team this time around. Who will emerge victorious in this promising Western Conference showdown?
[sc:NBA250 ]Read on below for a complete breakdown of this matchup. And if you’re craving for more hoops action, check out our previews of the Indiana Pacers at Golden State Warriors.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks Betting Preview
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
When: Friday, January 22, 2016, 8:30 PM ET
Line: Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks– view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: FSSW, FSOK, C+ D
Betting on the Oklahoma City Thunder (32-12)
Another game, another win for Oklahoma City. The Thunder managed to extend their unbeaten run to six games at the expense of the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night, 109-95. Starring in that game was none other than Kevin Durant, who tallied a game-high 26 points along with five rebounds and five assists.
[sc:NBA240banner ]But of course, his running mate, Russell Westbrook, was not to be outdone. Westbrook failed to reach his usual scoring average as he decided to showcase his unselfish side. The 27-year-old point guard tallied 16 points, eight rebounds and 16 assists despite committing five turnovers. He and Durant could be due for another big-time performance when they pay the Dallas Mavericks a visit at American Airlines Center tonight.
Durant and Westbrook both own solid track records opposite the Mavericks, averaging 24.7 PPG and 21.5 PPG in their respective careers. Durant, in particular, will be looking to pick up from where he left off in their last meeting on January 13, during which he ended up with 29 points and 10 rebounds to give his team the resounding 108-89 win.
On the other side of the court, the Thunder would be smart to keep a close eye on Dirk Nowitzki (17.8 PPG) and Deron Williams (14.3 PPG) from start to finish. The two are Dallas’ top scorers this season and have been playing quite well lately.
OKC is 8-2 SU and 4-6 ATS in its previous 10 road games.
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Betting on the Dallas Mavericks (25-19)
Speaking of Dirk Nowitzki, he failed to play in Dallas’ game versus the T-Wolves Wednesday night due to a right knee effusion. But fortunately, the Dallas Mavericks still managed to garner a 106-94 win in overtime.
With the win, the Mavericks have now won three of their last four games and head into this matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder with some momentum on their side. Although, they might have to play short-handed again as Nowitzki’s current injury might force him to sit out another game.
That said, the onus falls on the pair of Deron Williams and Wesley Matthews to lead the charge for the Mavericks later. Both guards have been playing at a relatively high level in this month of January, posting almost posting 15 points apiece per contest.
Offense, however, is just a small part of their worries. The Mavericks will be facing an even tougher challenge of holding off the Thunder’s All-Star duo in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, who are both averaging at least 20-plus points per game this season. Dallas is averaging 102.3 points allowed per game in its last six outings.
Dallas is 8-2 SU and ATS in its last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
OKC wins by double-digits. Create a betting account now and put your NBA predictions to the test!
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