The Denver Nuggets (47-20, 1st place in the Western Conference) are scheduled to face the Dallas Mavericks (38-29, 8th place in the Western Conference), and it is expected to be an exciting matchup. The Nuggets are on a five-game winning streak and recently won 117-106 on the road against the Spurs. Meanwhile, the Mavericks are looking to bounce back and end their winning streak after a narrow 126-119 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. This will be an interesting game as it could be a preview of the playoffs.
mile high mastery
of denver nuggets, they sit atop the Western Conference with an impressive record of 47 wins and 20 losses, proving that they are arguably the best team in the NBA right now. Their recent road win against the Spurs (117-106 road win) shows their ability to dominate and not fall behind against the level of competition. Denver's offense is on a roll, averaging 114.8 points per game and shooting 49.6% from the floor, making it nothing short of elite. They also shoot the three well as they are 36.9% from beyond the arc. However, the free throw line was less than ideal for the Nuggets, shooting just 76.0% as a team. They have size, which is a big reason why they are able to crash the boards so well and average a total of 44.6 rebounds per game.
Denver continues to lock down opponents defensively, holding them to 110.3 points per game, which ranks seventh in the NBA. This defensive ability is backed up by their 8th place field goal defense rate of 46.5% and 12th place 3 point defense rate of 36.2%. At the heart of Denver's success is Nikola Jokic, a generational talent who averages 26.0 points, 12.2 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game, but his impact is just scratching the surface. Jokic is surrounded by a cast that excels in their respective roles, including sharpshooter DeAndre Jordan, who leads the league with a field goal percentage of 63.2, and defensive stalwart Peyton Watson, who averages 1.0 blocks per game. This cohesive unit solidified the Nuggets' status as a team to beat in the Western Conference.
The battle against big in the west
of dallas mavericksare in eighth place in the Western Conference with a 38-29 record and are looking to escape the play-in tournament. Their offensive power is undeniable, as evidenced by their ranking of 6th in points per game with an average of 119.0 points per game. His scoring ability has been pretty strong, with a field goal percentage of 12th at 48.3% and a commendable 37.1% from the three-point area. Dallas' struggles seem to be at the free throw line, where their 76.1% success rate from the charity stripe is only slightly better than the Nuggets. His rebounding numbers weren't great, totaling 42.2 rebounds per game, which was shown to be a major concern heading into this game.
This week's top 🖐️ Check out the plays! ⤵@att // #MFFL pic.twitter.com/K699m56Vtc
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) March 16, 2024
Defensively, the Mavericks rank 23rd in the league, allowing 117.7 points per game, and things will get even tougher going forward. Their defense against field goals and 3-point shots was good at best, with opponents shooting 48.1% and 36.9%, respectively. Despite these challenges, Dallas has a secret weapon in Luka Doncic, who is averaging an impressive 34.3 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.0 rebounds per game, but he's been sidelined by a hamstring injury. He will be listed as a participant in the match. Daniel Gafford, who supports Doncic, is a defensive anchor with a league-leading field goal percentage of 77.4% and 1.9 blocks per game. This energetic offense, combined with the urgent need to strengthen the defense, makes every Mavericks game thrilling to watch, proving their ability to keep the West off balance. A recent 126-119 road loss to OKC highlighted both their explosive offense and the defensive failings they must address in order to move up in the standings.
Saturday's top plays
david delano – 35-14 CBB Run – Get David's Saturday Night Total Crusher for just $29 – click here
david hess – 31-13 CBB Best Bet Run – Get David's Saturday Night CBB Annihilator for just $29 – click here
Tom Macrina – 8-2 CBB Run – Get Snag Tom's Conference USA Game of the Month for just $29 – click here
rob vinciletti – 10-3 CBB Run – Get Rob's NBA Eastern Conference Game of the Month for just $35 – click here
chris king – Hit 3 parlays in the last 3 days – Get a week's worth of Chris's parlays for just $45 – click here
Recommended content
full game side bets
evaluation:
My pick for this game is the Denver Nuggets, and I think it's pretty obvious. The Nuggets were able to win the two games against the Mavericks this season by 11 points and 26 points, respectively. With Luka Doncic on the injury report and a game-time decision, this number feels a little inflated in hopes of seeing Doncic on the court. Even if he did, the Nuggets would be able to slow him down enough to completely dominate this game. Overall, expect a win because all Debner Nuggets is doing in this game is winning by multiple possessions.
Prediction: Denver Nuggets -3.5
full game total pick
evaluation:
As for over/under, I'm on the over side. Denver's Nuggets and Dallas' Mavericks have both had outstanding offenses, with Dallas averaging 119.0 points per game and Denver not far behind. Dallas isn't considered a great defense, allowing 117.7 points per game, which points to the Nuggets. Both of these teams also shoot well from beyond the arc, meaning points fly and take momentum away from the under. Dallas' Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, as well as Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, are shooting well and have an offense-first mentality, so the over would be the better option in this game.
Prediction: 225.5 or higher
