Dallas Mavericks vs Brooklyn Nets Prediction: Mavs to expose Nets

The NBA is on and what a fun season we have had. Many heavyweights have fallen under pressure while many under-the-radar teams have shown that they are in for the fun and aren’t going down easy, forget going down, a team like Utah Jazz that was projected to be among bottom-ranked teams has been one of the most surprising teams this season, Then there are teams that have underwhelmed, the Golden State Warriors is an example. And the Brooklyn Nets too which will take on the Dallas Mavericks

The Nets come into this game after beating a short-handed Charlotte Hornets 98:94 as Kevin Durant drilled 27 points. While the Nets have won two in a row, they are still two games below a 50% win record. The last two wins have come against squads that have been short-handed or struggling for rhythm. The Nets have played too many close games and haven’t looked fluid on the offensive end outside of Kevin Durant.

And how much can KD do alone? He is once again left to do the major lifting as Kyrie Irving keeps garnering headlines for the wrong reasons. At this point, Kyrie has become a rather burdensome presence and despite being one of the best ball handlers to play the game, his legacy is in murky waters at this point. Still, KD is KD, his mere presence makes Nets a threat. Ben Simmons has been injured and when he has played, he had been a reluctant scorer, although he does boost the defense. The Nets’ season is in turmoil.

The Mavs come into this game after defeating the Raptors 111:110 in a thriller as Luka Doncic dipped 35 points. He has continued to be the leading scorer this season and has carried Dallas to five wins and three losses. They have won three in a row, taking advantage of a five-game schedule thus far with the match against the Nets concluding their home scenario. Majority of their games have been decided in the last seconds, with the team having played two OT matches.

Of course, it is Doncic again dominating the scene and playing like an MVP, leading the Mavs in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. Spencer Dinwiddie has begun efficiently whereas Christian Wood has been a great addition. The Forward lineup is mainly focused on defense as the offense can be a bit erratic on that end. The Mavs can have scoring troubles especially when the bench comes as Tim Hardaway Jr has not scored well.

• Mavericks: OUT: Frank Ntilikina, Davis Bertans;
• Nets: OUT: Kyrie Irving, TJ Warren. QUESTIONABLE: Ben Simmons

• Expected Leading Scorers: Luka Doncic(35+), Kevin Durant(30-36);
• Expected Leading Rebounders: Luka Doncic(9-13 Rebounds), Nic Claxton(9-13 Rebounds), Kevin Durant(8-11 Rebounds);
• Expected Leading Playmakers: Luka Doncic(10+ Assists), Kevin Durant(4-6 Assists).

The Nets would have loved to have Kyrie here to counter the Mavs here. Defensively, the Mavericks have been more dialed-in but the Nets have shown that they are no pushovers on that end either with Durant’s size posing a threat. However, it is not as consistent as Dallas’ defense. Like the Nets are overdependent upon KD these days, the Mavs are way too dependent upon Luka Doncic. The Nets are looking rusty at times and their last two wins came against squads that are struggling.

How will the Nets respond to the relentless play of Doncic here? First, they are playing away from home and without Kyrie Irving, their scoring balance will be suffering against a tough Dallas defense. I see the Mavs winning this one by 5+ points and the points range to be 210-220.