New York Knicks vs Dallas Mavericks Prediction: Will the absence of the head scorer be a factor in the Knicks' loss?

Prediction for the NBA match which will take place on February 9. Who will turn out to be stronger? Check the team conditions! Several betting options are available.

The Knicks gained momentum after trading R.J. Barrett for O.J. Anunoby. Then, Anunoby was out due to injury, but New York has continued to win, improving their defensive numbers significantly. Currently, the team allows only 109.4 points per game, second only to Minnesota in defensive rating.

The previous meeting New York held at home arena and confidently coped with the outsider of the Western Conference Memphis - 123:113. Brunson scored 27 points, and the Knicks' top scorer was Donte DiVincenzo, who finished the game with 32 points.

While the Knicks have improved on defense, the Mavericks have not made much progress, allowing an average of 118.3 points per game. It's the defensive shortcomings that are currently keeping Jason Kidd's team out of the top-6. Dallas is eighth in the Western Conference with a 28-23 balance.

The Mavs, however, won their previous two games. The opponents, however, were not the strongest - Philadelphia (118:102) fell apart without Joel Embiid and Brooklyn (119:107).

In terms of the outcome of the upcoming game, much will depend on whether Jalen Brunson plays. Expecting the Knicks to win without their main star will be hard. The total is unlikely to change much - New York has made progress in defense and is not particularly dependent on individual performers in their half of the court. Let's bet on TU.