The Utah Jazz will host the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night in a Western Conference showdown at the Delta Center. The Mavericks have been doing well lately as they try to avoid pay-per-view tournaments. The Jazz, on the other hand, seem destined to avoid the playoffs as they intend to play spoiler this time around. The two have met three times this season, with Dallas winning twice. Each team has been winning on their home court, and fans want to see if that continues in this game.
Need high quality NBA predictions? This is the ultimate site for basketball winners.
Mavs continue to climb up West standings
Dallas has been playing the best basketball in the league lately, winning three years in a row and seven of the past eight games. Overcoming injuries was a big hurdle, but they were able to find success at home and on the road. They are 19-14 on the road and have won three of their last four games on the road. Their schedule for the past few weeks has been alternating between home games and road games, and there may be concerns that they are not getting into a solid flow. It hasn't caught up with them yet, so they'll be hoping it doesn't happen this time.
Take advantage of the best betting sites anywhere.
As mentioned above, Dallas has been able to avoid major injuries in recent years, but they suffered two injuries in this game. PJ Washington (ankle) is questionable, while Josh Green (ankle) will be out at least until the end of the month. Washington has continued to make useful additions since the trade deadline, and they will be hoping his frontcourt presence will be felt in this game as well.
Dallas' offense has taken a step forward this season and has shown some improvement in efficiency as of late. They rank 12th in the league in field goal percentage and 3-point percentage, but are facing a Utah defense that ranks last in the league in 3-point percentage. Luka Doncic (34.1 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 9.8 apg) is having another elite season, and the emergence of Kyrie Irving (25.3 ppg) as a scorer this team can rely on will help move this group forward. It would be helpful. Tim Hardaway Jr. is planning a big game in this game, giving him a three-point advantage, but there are concerns that his scoring ability will decline after those three points. Defensively, there is certainly room for improvement, but even a small step forward could be enough for the game against Utah.
Jazz aim for revenge in rematch
Just last week, the Jazz lost a road game to Dallas, but return home Monday night looking for revenge in a rematch. Both teams have won just three of their last 10 games, and either way, given their struggles this season, confidence could be dented. Even in the series at hand, the Jazz have lost five straight overall and have won just two of their last 10 games. All of their last three matches have been on the road, so they will be happy to be back at home for this one, as they have actually had a respectable record. They are 20-15 at home, 11 wins better at home than away, and will need every advantage they can get in this game.
It hasn't helped that the Jazz have struggled to get playing time for some of their key players lately. Lauri Markkanen (quadriceps) is a key player fans will want to keep an eye on given his role on both sides. Jordan Clarkson (groin) remains sidelined and will be involved in scoring, while backcourt depth is limited with Kris Dunn suspended.
Offensively, the Jazz have struggled, and unless Mulkenan (23 points) is out, it will be difficult for the offense to keep pace with Dallas in this game. The more pressing concern in this game is the state of their defense. They rank last in the league in three-man defense, and that could work against them in this game. They at least rebound the ball well, ranking sixth in the league in defensive rebounds and fourth in offensive rebounds. The potential absence of Markkanen could affect that advantage, but creating second chances is certainly the way to stay competitive in this game.
Sunday's top plays
david delano – 20-8 CBB Best Bet Run – Get David's Sunday Night CBB Shocker for just $29 – click here
mike landin – 15-4 NBA Run – Get Mike's Western Conference NBA Game of the Week for just $35 – click here
david hess – 7-3 CBB Totals Run – Get David's Sunday Night CBB Totals Annihilator for just $29 – click here
MIT simulator – 10-0 NHL Run – Get MIT's Sunday Night Total Crusher for just $29 – click here
MLB Full Season Access Passes are available now —Special price $499. This price is only available for a limited time, so hurry!
Click here to select
Recommended content for this game
full game side bets
Insider status:
evaluation:
This time it will be a road game, but Dallas should have no problem not only winning on the road, but also covering the spread. The Mavericks have been playing some of the best basketball in the NBA in recent weeks, but given the negative trend Utah is headed in, they will likely struggle again this time around. It can't be helped that Clarkson will continue to be absent, but Markkanen also tends to make decisions during games. Dallas is star-studded, and given the defensive woes facing Utah, those woes are bound to get even bigger against a player like Doncic. Dallas has covered the spread in seven of their last eight games, while the Jazz have failed to cover it in six of their last eight games, and that trend continues into this one.
Prediction: Dallas (-8)
full game total pick
Insider status:
evaluation:
Dallas is known for their offense, but their rise on defense has made them difficult to beat, especially recently. Doncic and Irving have strengthened the perimeter defense, and the move to a smaller lineup has helped slow down opponents during their current success. For the Jazz, whose scoring has been down lately without Clarkson, it could be even harder to find offensive line without Markkanen. The under has hit in two of three games this season, five of the last six in Dallas and four of the last five in Utah. Given these scoring woes, fans can hope that continues.
Prediction: Less than 234.5
