NBA on ESPN Preview: GS at DAL

The first of 2 games tonight will feature the Warriors traveling to Dallas to take on the Mavs. From the outside looking in, this game might not be the closest game on the scoreboard.

When and Where

Tipping off at 7:30 PM EST, we have a rather early start for some “west coast” teams. The 3-12 Warriors will battle the 8-5 Mavericks on ESPN tonight.

Why We’re Watching

Potential MVP candidate Luka Doncic leads this Mavs team in nearly every statistical category. When he is paired with the potential Comeback Player of the Year, Kristaps Porzingis, the duo create a force that wreaks havoc on the opposition. As for the starters, those 2 are the only ones that are truly making an impact on the court. For guys that come off of the bench, Delon Wright and Jalen Brunson are right above average in PER. One of which will likely end up starting because Seth Curry has been ruled out with an injury.

Speaking of Curry’s, the Warriors are still without Steph Curry tonight. Not only that, but Golden State will also be without the service of Draymond Green, D’Angelo Russell, Kevon Looney, and Jacob Evans. This once again leaves rookie Eric Paschall and journeyman Alec Burks to lead this lowly Warriors squad. A long ways from the Warriors teams of the past that ran through the NBA with ease, the 2019-2020 Warriors are potentially the worst team in the NBA. The few bright spots for this team include Paschall and the increased workload for big man Willie Cauley-Stein.

Betting Done Quick

The Mavs are 14.5 (-110) favorites and I can see them covering this ridiculous spread. This Warriors team is bad and they’re playing on the latter half of a back-to-back at an early tip time. Meanwhile, the Mavs (-1500) have been chilling at home for the past week defeating the Raptors and Spurs. If you’re looking for team totals, I don’t believe the Warriors reach the 100 point mark tonight so Warriors UNDER 101.5 (-120) seems like a safe bet.

Predictions

Warriors: 95

Mavericks: 110

Leading Scorer: Luka Doncic

Conclusion

That is our NBA on ESPN for tonight! Who do you think will win tonight’s game? Also, check out the shop and other content by clicking here.

-Mitchell Seefeldt

• Cristina Ruiz/Unnika [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
• Cyrus Saatsaz [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons