Dallas Mavericks (28-23) vs Oklahoma City Thunder (35-16)
Game Info: Saturday, February 10, 2024 at 3:00 pm (American Airlines Center)
Betting Odds: Dallas Mavericks +2.5 -- Over/Under: Click Here for the Latest Odds
The Oklahoma City Thunder pay a visit to the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center on Saturday afternoon. Here’s a Thunder vs Mavericks Prediction.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been in great shape as they've won eight of their last 11 games overall, but they will be looking to bounce back here after having their three-game win streak halted by the Jazz in a 124-117 road defeat on Tuesday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team with 28 points and seven assists, Jalen Williams added 26 points with five assists while Chet Holmgren chipped in with 22 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. As a team, the Thunder shot 47 percent from the field and 19 of 37 from the 3-point line as they got off to a slow start and fell behind by 12 points in the second quarter, before they flipped the script and dominated the second half by 63-49 to come away with the gritty win to improve to 17-7 at home. The Thunder will meet the Kings and Magic after this one.
Dallas Mavericks
Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks are starting to heat up again as they are now aiming for a fourth straight win after blowing past the shorthanded Knicks in a 122-108 road win on Thursday. Luka Doncic led the team with 39 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists, Tim Hardaway Jr added 19 points off the bench while Derrick Jones Jr chipped in with 18 points on five of seven shooting. As a team, the Mavericks shot 52 percent from the field and 18 of 42 from the 3-point line as they took control of the contest early, taking an 11-point lead into halftime which ballooned to 20 points in the third quarter. To be fair, the Knicks were heavily depleted with most of their starting lineup out injured, so the Mavericks were always favorites coming into that matchup.
Dallas Mavericks Player Facts
- Josh Green ranks 37th amongst qualified players for 3P% (40.8%) this season.
Oklahoma City Thunder Player Facts
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ranks 1st amongst qualified players for steals per game (2.2) this season.
- Jalen Williams ranks 4th amongst qualified players for 3P% (45.2%) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Mavericks rank 2nd in the league for opponent blocks per game this season (3.9).
- The Mavericks rank 2nd in the league for turnovers per game this season (12.3).
- The Thunder rank 1st in the league for blocks per game this season (6.6).
- The Thunder rank 1st in the league for opponent turnovers per game this season (15.7).
Thunder vs Mavericks Prediction
The Thunder don't have a single player on the injury report, while the Mavericks are still missing Dante Exum and Dereck Lovely. You can make an argument for either side here, but while the Mavericks look like decent value as the home underdog, I'm still leaning towards the more consistent Thunder team who should be well-rested as they haven't played since Tuesday. This should be a close one, but I'll back the Thunder to get the win and cover on the road here.