Two rapidly rising teams meet in Cleveland.
We're gearing up for our hottest NBA betting predictions and picks as we turn our attention to two of the fastest rising teams in their respective conferences.Completely red dallas mavericks will take a dominant position cleveland cavaliers Ending the season series – Cleveland leads 1-0. Check out our NBA odds series for Mavericks vs. Cavaliers predictions and picks.
The Dallas Mavericks currently sit in second place in the Southwest Division and hold the sixth seed in the Western Conference standings. They've had quite the run, with the NBA's longest winning streak at seven games following their most recent 123-113 win over Phoenix. They have won a total of eight games and will be looking to get revenge on this Cavs team.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are in first place in the Central Division and second overall in the Eastern Conference, eight games behind Boston. They entered the All-Star break as the hottest team in the NBA, winning 18 of 20 in that final stretch. However, they have suffered two consecutive losses since then and are aiming for their first win since the break.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA odds: Mavericks vs. Cavaliers odds
Dallas Mavericks: +3.5 (-110)
Money line: +134
Cleveland Cavaliers: -3.5 (-110)
Money line: -158
Over: 233.5 (-110)
Under: 233.5 (-110)
How to watch Mavericks vs. Cavaliers
Time: 7pm ET/4pm PT
TV: Bally Sports Southwest, Bally Sports Ohio, NBA League Pass
Stream: fuboTV (click for free trial)
Why were the Mavericks able to cover the spread and win?
The Dallas Mavericks have been on a roll for the past seven games, defeating championship favorites like the 76ers, Knicks, Thunder and Suns in the process. They will be playing another top two team in the Cavaliers, who are coming off a few bad nights after the All-Star break. With Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic fully healthy and able to play together, we finally got a glimpse of the potential of this Mavericks team. After Irving scored 34 points in the win over San Antonio, Doncic again scored 41 points the next night to lead the Suns to victory. If this combination is stable, expect them to continue running among great teams.
The Mavericks lost 110-113 to Cleveland two months ago. Luka's 39 points weren't enough to overcome the impasse, but it's worth noting that Kyrie Irving was absent for that game. He's fully healthy and back at his old home in Cleveland, so expect Irving to make a noticeable difference for the Mavs throughout this game.
Why the Cavaliers were able to cover the spread and win
The Cavaliers had one of the more impressive performances in previous seasons, almost instantly advancing to the No. 2 seed. But since then, they have been without Donovan Mitchell and have lost several games because of it. He is “likely” to start against the Wizards before that, so we should see them get some wins and get back on the winning streak in the right direction. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have held down the floor in Mitchell's absence, but I'd like to see more from them in terms of scoring as a tandem and spreading the floor.
The Cleveland Cavaliers rank second overall in the league in points against teams, and their consistent defense is the foundation of their success. Mobley and Allen may not necessarily see a big scoring night, but they consistently make a difference in the paint and miss opportunities for opponents. They're going to have to play fast and get up and run against the Mavericks, who have Derrick Lively back from injury and a fairly inexperienced interior for Dallas.
Mavericks vs. Cavaliers final predictions and picks
Luka Doncic has led this Mavericks team all season, and the addition of Kyrie Irving as a consistent option quickly makes this Dallas team a contender in the Western Conference. The last game against Cleveland was very light, and Kyrie Irving is available this time, so it is expected that he will put on a show in his return to Cleveland after a long time.
But the Cavaliers didn't get here by luck, and are perhaps the most consistent defensive team in the NBA right now. We'll see what happens when Donovan Mitchell returns against Washington, but his availability will make this game a much closer one right off the bat.
The Mavericks are 4-1 ATS in their last five games while the Cavaliers are just 1-4 ATS. With Donovan Mitchell back, this game is definitely going to be close, but we want Dallas to keep it going. Roll with the Mavericks to cover the spread.
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Mavericks vs. Cavaliers final prediction and pick: Dallas Mavericks +3.5 (-110)
About the author
Dominik Zawartko graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Political Science and English. Having previously worked in the nonprofit and legal sectors, he decided to pursue his true love of writing with ClutchPoints. Dominic's hobbies include painting, cooking, training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and always laughing. His main areas of focus are UFC coverage and sneakers in general.
