Get ready for some pass-happy point guards to do their thing as John Wall’s Washington Wizards pay Rajon Rondo and the Dallas Mavericks a visit on Tuesday. The two are currently locked in a three-way tie for the NBA assist lead, but either would prefer a big win against a possible title contender over personal stats.
Which all-world point guard leads the way toward victory? Read on for our breakdown of this intriguing matchup. Speaking of terrific point guards, don’t forget to check out our look ahead to the showdown between Kyle Lowry’s Raptors and Damian Lillard’s Blazers, which you can find here.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Washington Wizards vs. Dallas Mavericks Betting Preview
Where: AmericanAirlines Center, Dallas
When: Tuesday, December 30, 2014, 1:00 PM ET
Line: Washington Wizards at Dallas Mavericks – view all NBA lines
Betting on the Washington Wizards
The Wizards got their brutal five-game Western road trip off to a winning start by narrowly edging the Houston Rockets, 104-103, on Monday. With the win, the Wizards improved to 12-3 in the month of December, but are just 7-8 against the spread.
[sc:NBA240banner ]Bradley Beal led the Wiz with 33 points and five three-pointers, both season-highs. Beal had 21 points on 9-of-17 shooting against the Mavericks in his first game of the season. Meanwhile, Paul Pierce had just his third 20-point game of the season with 21 on 7-of-9 shooting.
With John Wall (11.7 assists per game in December) orchestrating the offense, the Wizards are right at the edge of the top 10 in terms of offensive efficiency. They’re currently averaging 106.7 points per 100 possessions for the month.
However, it’s been the defense that’s caught the eye for the Wizards. They have the fifth-best Defensive Rating for the month of December at 98.5 points allowed per 100 possessions. That defense did a credible job of limiting the Mavs’ explosive offense to just 41 percent shooting in their first meeting of the season on November 19, a 105-102 loss.
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Betting on the Dallas Mavericks
The correlation between Monta Ellis’ recent shooting slump and Rajon Rondo’s insertion into the Mavs lineup is debatable, but the numbers are clear. In the four games after exploding for 38 points on 15-for-23 shooting against the Spurs in Rondo’s first game, Ellis has shot a miserly 35 percent and is averaging 16.5 points per game.
Rondo himself hasn’t had too much trouble establishing himself within the Mavs offense, which is in a virtual tie with the Raptors for the best Offensive Rating in the league (112.1 points per 100 possessions). Rondo’ s averaging 15.5 points, six rebounds and eight assists while shooting 46 percent in his last four games.
Rondo will also have his hands full on the defensive end in trying to limit Wall’s impact on the game. His defense was a big reason for Russell Westbrook’s awful 6-for-23 shooting performance on Sunday.
Ellis injured his ankle in the Mavs’ 112-107 win over the Thunder on Sunday, but isn’t expected to miss the Wizards game. Ellis had set his previous season-high of 34 points at Washington last month.
The Mavs have more than enough offense to compensate if Ellis suffers any ill-effects of the injury. Chandler Parsons in particular has been on fire this December, averaging over 18 points and shooting well above 50 percent from the field.
The Mavericks are just 2-8 against the spread in their last 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
The Mavs win at home, but the Wizards are able to keep it close and cover.
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