Who will emerge victorious in this Texas showdown? Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this Western Conference matchup and while you’re at it, you can check out our preview of Golden State vs. Oklahoma City.
San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks Preview
Where: American Airlines Center, Dallas
When: Friday, February 5, 9:30 PM ET
Line: San Antonio Spurs (-6.5) at Dallas Mavericks (+6.5); total: 197.0 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Betting on the San Antonio Spurs (41-8)
The San Antonio Spurs extended their winning streak to two games with a convincing 110-97 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. LaMarcus Aldridge led the way for the Spurs, scoring a season-high 36 points. San Antonio’s prized offseason acquisition has gotten more used to his new teammates, averaging 19.2 points on 55.7 percent shooting in his last 14 games.
The Spurs will need his offensive production now more than ever with Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili missing action for the foreseeable future because of various injuries. Duncan is still out with a knee injury while Ginobili will be sidelined for at least a month after undergoing surgery to repair a testicular injury. Duncan and Ginobili remain vital cogs for San Antonio, averaging a combined 18.9 points per game for the Spurs this season.That added responsibility won’t faze Aldridge, though, who excelled against the Mavericks in their previous meeting this season. He had a game-high 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting against the Mavs last month. Aldridge is averaging 20.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in two games against Dallas this season.
The Spurs are 3-0 in their last three meetings with the Mavericks.
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Betting on the Dallas Mavericks (28-24)
The Dallas Mavericks crashed to their second consecutive defeat with a heart-breaking 93-90 loss to the Miami Heat on Wednesday. The Mavs simply had no answer for Dwyane Wade who scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half. It was another disappointing setback for the Mavs who have now lost nine of their last 10 games with the Heat.
It won’t get any easier for the reeling Mavericks as standing in their way tonight are the red-hot San Antonio Spurs. The five-time NBA champions own an impressive 41-8 record, matching their best start set in the 2010-11 season.
For the Mavs to snap their losing skid tonight, they will need to get a much better performance from Dirk Nowitzki. The NBA’s sixth all-time leading scorer has struggled against the Spurs of late, averaging just 10.4 points on 35.1 percent shooting in their last five meetings. He was a non-factor in their last game against the Spurs, scoring just four points on a woeful 2-of-10 shooting from the field.
The Mavericks are 3-0 in their last three home games against the Spurs.
Writer’s Prediction
The Spurs (-6.5) edge past past the Mavericks, 98-93.
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