The Dallas Mavericks hit the road on Friday, visiting the Phoenix Suns in a matchup of a pair of up-and-coming teams in the NBA’s Western Conference.
Dallas has been playing some great ball of late and currently ranks fourth in the NBA in points on the year. The Mavericks had a six-game winning streak snapped in their last game against the Clippers. Luka Doncic is looking like the MVP front-runner, while Kristaps Porzingis continues to get his feet under him as he plays his first NBA action in nearly 19 months. The supporting cast is full of guys who can slash to the rim and knock down threes at a high clip, perfect for the system.
Phoenix, on the other hand, has seen a little of its hype fade away. While Aron Baynes has been out, the Suns have lacked toughness at the center spot, and their shooting has dropped off a bit. They were also without Ricky Rubio, and several guys had to learn how to play new roles. They will get DeAndre Ayton back in a few weeks, finally, and we’ll see then just what they can be capable of. At 8-9, they have still proven to be a tough out for most squads they face off with.
The spread for Friday night favors the Mavericks by two points, with the over/under set at 232.5.
Dallas Looks To Start New Streak
Now that they have stuffed their faces with turkey, stuffing, and several pies, it is time for the Mavericks to return to the court in Arizona. They have used several different starting lineups this year as they continue to try and figure out what the best five-man lineup is to open games, but they have continued to be successful. As a matter of fact, only Doncic and Porzingis have started every game that they have played in this year. Whatever the case, they will remain hard to gameplan for as a result, and eventually, they’ll find that killer five.
Doncic is averaging 30 points, 10 rebounds and 9.5 assists and very well could finish the season averaging a triple-double. He has been unstoppable and puts opposing defenders in a blender on a nightly basis.
Phoenix Trying To Find Its Mojo Again
Fresh off a loss to the high-scoring Wizards, the Suns will be looking to get back to .500. It is unclear yet if Baynes will return, but his ability to set hard screens and shoot 44 percent from three is definitely missed. Devin Booker has continued to score at will, only this year, his efficiency has been through the roof. He is shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from three, and 95 percent from the foul line. He can score from anywhere, which we have always known. He is still just 23 years old and has a lot of room to grow. Even after all the years of scoring, it seems he is just scratching the surface in 2019-20.
This team is full of outside shooters and pesky defenders, the perfect combination in this age of basketball.
Phoenix Surprises Dallas
Two-point underdogs? No problem. The Suns will come away with a win and send the Mavericks packing with a few questions. A big night for Booker leads the way.
Free Play: PHX +2
100% up to $3,000 Bonus
Bovada is our most recommended ONLINE CASINO and POKER ROOM for US players with excellent deposit options. Get your 100% signup bonus today.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.