Two of the best teams in the NBA are set to meet up on Friday night as the Dallas Mavericks will visit the Boston Celtics. Playoff races have started to heat up in each conference, and that will add some drama and excitement to this matchup.
The Dallas Mavericks could be without Luka Doncic in this game, and that is going to create some serious issues. Dallas is still coming into this game with a record of 34-25, but they have lost two of their last three games.
The Boston Celtics are coming into this game with an overall record of 46-12, and they just continue to look like the clear favorite to win the NBA Championship. Boston has not lost since early February as they continue to stack wins.
Boston is coming into this game as a big 9.5-point betting favorite over a solid Dallas Mavericks team.
Dallas Has to Defend
The Dallas Mavericks are going to have to be great on the defensive end of the floor if they are going to win this game. Dallas has given up at least 121 points in three straight games, and that is going to create some serious concerns against an explosive team.
Luka Doncic continues to lead the way with 34.4 points and 9.7 assists this season, but he could miss this matchup with an injury. Dallas will need other players to step up, and that’s not always something that happens.
Look for the Mavericks to try to slow down the pace in this game as that will be their best chance to pick up a win.
Celtics Cruising on Offense
The Boston Celtics come into this game averaging 120.7 points per game, and they have a ton of stars that are setting the tone. Jayson Tatum is averaging 27.0 points and 8.5 rebounds per game this season, and he is on the short list of MVP candidates.
Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis are also scoring over 20 points per game for this team, and no one has been able to slow this team down. Boston has a ton of momentum on offense, and that will come into play in this game.
Not only have the Celtics been a great offensive team, but they are also locking teams down on defense during this run.
Boston Blows Out Dallas
Even if the Dallas Mavericks are able to get Luka Doncic back on the floor in this game, they are still facing a tough challenge.Dallas has the ability to score with any team in the league, but they don’t always get stops on defense.
There is just no stopping this Boston Celtics team at this point of the season, and they appear to be getting better as the season rolls along. The two superstars for Boston will set the tone in this game, and this game will get out of hand in a hurry.
Bet the Boston Celtics -9.5 as the home team is going to cruise to a blowout win in this big NBA showdown on Friday night.
