Dallas Mavericks vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 27/12/2023, 04:16  by Joseph King | Modified on 27/12/2023 at 12:30 in NBA Prediction

An inter-conference clash in the NBA sees the West’s fifth-placed Dallas Mavericks hosting the East’s seventh-place team in the Cleveland Cavaliers. Fresh off a fantastic comeback away victory over the Suns on Christmas Day, Luka Doncic and the Mavs now seek their third consecutive win. Dallas was able to outscore Phoenix by 15 points in the fourth-quarter, securing a 128-114 win. Luka was simply sublime once again, dropping 50 points and dishing out 15 assists in one of his best performances of his already stellar season. The virtuoso performance may have taken a toll however, as the Slovenian is listed as questionable for this game. The Mavs have a record of 18-12, placing them fifth in the highly-competitive West and 4.5 games off the first-place Timberwolves. Dallas ranks seventh in both adjusted offensive rating (118.8) and average points scored per game (119.3).

The Cavaliers are dealing with a horrendous injury bug at the moment which has claimed various key players. Versatile big and defensive anchor Evan Mobley needs knee surgery, Darius Garland is out for a few weeks with a fractured jaw, Caris LaVert is questionable and star Donovan Mitchell is also listed as questionable. In addition to the above, Cleveland also has another three players either out or doubtful to take part in this game. Despite being ravaged by injuries, the Cavaliers have shown fantastic resilience to still grind out wins. Their latest was a 109-95 victory over the Chicago Bulls, marking Cleveland’s fourth win from their last five games. They’ve done all of this despite star Donovan Mitchell having missed the last three games. However, with three days since they last took to the court, the Cavs will hope to have their top-scorer back for this trip to Dallas.