The Washington Wizards travel to the American Airlines Center to battle the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. Here’s a Mavericks vs Wizards Prediction. This article will include a Mavericks vs Wizards Pick.
Washington Wizards Betting Preview
The Washington Wizards will be hoping for a better result in this game after getting trampled by the Bucks in a 133-120 road defeat on Wednesday night. Khris Middleton led the team with 23 points, six rebounds and three assists on nine of 14 shooting, Kyshawn George added 21 points with nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks while Tre Johnson chipped in with 16 points off the bench.
As a team, the Wizards shot 46 percent from the field and 17 of 42 from the 3-point line, but they were always fighting an uphill battle in this one after getting dominated in the first quarter by 40-23. The Wizards showed a bit of fight to cut a 22-point deficit to single digits at one stage, but they were never truly a threat despite scoring 67 points in the second half. CJ McCollum had a rough outing for his new franchise as he finished with just nine points on four of 14 shooting from the field and zero of six shooting from the 3-point line.
Dallas Mavericks Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks might still be scratching their heads after getting smashed by the Spurs in an ugly 125-92 home defeat in their season opener. Anthony Davis led the team with 22 points and 13 rebounds, PJ Washington added 17 points on seven of 11 shooting while Klay Thompson scored just 10 points on four of 13 shooting.
As a team, the Mavericks shot just 37 percent from the field and nine of 21 from the 3-point line as they struggled to match the Spurs from the start and trailed by nine points at halftime. Before they got completely blown out in the second half, getting outscored by 17. 65-41. The Mavericks would’ve been so excited to see their first pick Cooper Flagg make his debut, but he finished with just 10 points on four of 13 shooting in a quiet outing. Only four players finished in double figures in scoring for the Mavericks and no one had any chance of slowing down the Spurs’ Victor Wembenyama who torched them for 40 points.
Why the Dallas Mavericks will win
- The Wizards have lost each of their last 15 games against Southwest Division opponents.
- The Mavericks have won each of their last 12 games against Southeast Division opponents following a loss.
- The Wizards have failed to cover the spread in each of their last eight Friday games against teams that held a losing record.
- The Mavericks have covered the spread in seven of their last eight games as favorites following a home loss.
Why the Washington Wizards will win
- The underdogs have won three of the Mavericks’ last four games.
- The Mavericks have lost six of their last eight games.
- The underdogs have covered the spread in seven of the Wizards’ last eight games at American Airlines Center.
- The Mavericks have failed to cover the spread in 10 of their last 12 home games.
Total Points Facts
- Eight of the last nine games between the Wizards and Mavericks have gone OVER the total points line.
- Seven of the Wizards’ last eight games against Southwest Division opponents have gone OVER the total points line.
Dallas Mavericks Player Facts
- Cooper Flagg ranks T1st amongst qualified players for FT% (100.0%) this season.
- Anthony Davis ranks T1st amongst qualified players for FT% (100.0%) this season.
Washington Wizards Player Facts
- Tre Johnson ranks T1st amongst qualified players for FT% (100.0%) this season.
- Kyshawn George ranks T4th in the Eastern Conference amongst qualified players for blocks per game (2.0) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Mavericks rank 30th in the league for points per game this season (92.0).
- The Mavericks rank 30th in the league for point differential per game this season (-33.0).
- The Wizards rank 1st in the league for rebounds per game this season (56.0).
- The Wizards rank 30th in the league for opponent turnovers per game this season (8.0).
Mavericks vs Wizards Prediction
The Wizards are still slightly shorthanded with Bilal Coulibaly ruled out again, while the Mavericks have ruled out Dante Exum and Kyrie Irving with Daniel Gafford listed as questionable. The Wizards did a decent job of avoiding getting blown out by the Bucks in their last outing, despite a poor start to the contest.
You couldn’t say the same for the depleted Mavericks, who had no answer for the Spurs in their season opener. I would probably be all over the Mavericks if they had all their players healthy, but as it stands, I think the Wizards can do enough to hang around and keep this to single digits in the end.