This matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and Boston Celtics is sure to be entertaining. The Mavericks, led by Luka Doncic, will head out to Boston to face Jayson Tatum and the Celtics.
Each of these teams is coming off a win, but the Mavericks will look to stop the Celtics’ hot streak. Whether they’ll be able to pull it off is a different story, especially with Tatum in Boston.
The Boston Celtics have won five games in a row, a few of which were over great teams. As they prepare to face the Mavericks, they’ve moved up to fifth in the Eastern Conference.
The Celtics don’t want to lose that spot and, in fact, want to keep moving up. They’ve beaten some of the best teams in the Western Conference recently and will hope to do so again on Sunday. See all NBA Same Game Parlays, or all our NBA computer predictions.
Game Preview: Dallas Mavericks at Boston Celtics
Both of these teams are at the No.5 spot in their respective conferences. The Mavericks, fresh off a win over the Rockets, have the second-best defense in the NBA.
On average, they only allow opponents to score 103.72 points per game. This is going to be a vital point in their game against the Celtics. Boston has been an offensive powerhouse lately; shutting them down is key.
In their last four games, the Celtics have scored 114 points or more in each of them. When they faced the Memphis Grizzlies, one of the league’s best offenses, they scored 120 points. They also faced the Brooklyn Nets recently and won the game 127-120.
The Celtics know how to put up points, but their defense is concerning. However, they come in as the favorites in this one.
Against the Spread: Boston Celtics -6
Now, personally, we wish the spread was slightly smaller, but the Celtics should be able to cover here. As much as we like Dallas’ defense, their scoring can’t match up with the Celtics.
The thing about Boston is they have multiple players that can put up points. This way, if Tatum is stopped, they can rely on the others to pick up the slack. Not to mention, they’re 24-11 at home.
The Total: Over 213
This one is tricky because of how good the Mavericks’ defense is, but we’ll take the over. The total is set rather low in this game, and the Celtics offense is on fire.
We expect that the Celtics will do most of the scoring in this one, but the total will still go over. In three of the Celtics’ last four games, the total has gone over.
Player Points: Jayson Tatum UNDER 28.5
Normally, we’d say take the over when it comes to Tatum’s player points. However, this time, he’ll have a big target on his back in this game.
Tatum will likely hit his average of 26.8, falling just short of the 28.5 line. However, there is one player we’d be sure to add onto our ticket in terms of player points.
To score 15+ Points: Marcus Smart +134
Since the Celtics are favorites in most of these categories, this pick will boost your winnings. With the Mavericks targeting Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart will have a chance to shine.
Currently, he averages 12.1 points per game, which isn’t far off. He’s a great shooter from beyond the arc as well, which could make up for the missing points.