The Cleveland Cavaliers (40-25) visit Dallas to take on the Mavericks (41-24) in what should be a high-scoring game. Action begins at 8:30 pm ET on Tuesday, Mar. 10 and can be seen on FSN-OH and FSN-SW.
The Mavericks played well in their last game, topping the Lakers 100-93 on Sunday. Monta Ellis was the game’s leading scorer with 31 points on 12-for-22 shooting. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are coming off an 89-79 win against the Suns on Saturday. Tristan Thompson claimed his 13th double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
It might turn into a shootout as a pair of the NBA’s top offenses match up. Dallas ranks fifth in the league with 106.9 points per 100 possessions, while Cleveland is third in that metric (107.7).
This is the second game of the year between these two teams, with the Mavericks winning the first matchup 109-90. Kevin Love finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds.
The odds for Dallas and Cleveland are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Mavericks have gone 41-24 Straight Up (SU) and 29-33-3 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 20-7 SU and 16-11 ATS against the Eastern Conference. The Mavericks have seen an decline in scoring as of late, averaging 93.8 points during the last 10 games compared to their season average of 104.4 points per game. The Mavericks are one of the best in the NBA in terms of field-goal percentage, shooting an impressive .460 from the field. Dallas is one of the most disciplined teams in the league with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.8. Dallas is the league’s top scoring team off turnovers with an average of 19.2 points per game.
As for their opponent, the Cavaliers have 40-25 SU and 32-33 ATS records. Against the Western Conference, Cleveland is 15-12 SU and 14-13 ATS. The Cavaliers rely heavily on three-pointers on offense, ranking third in the league with 613 made (9.4 per game).
With the Mavericks’ last win against Cleveland, their SU record is now 8-2 over the Cavaliers in the last 10 games. The Mavericks also lead the matchup ATS with a record of 7-3. Over the last 10 matchups, Dallas held the advantage in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers two times. Cleveland performed this feat once.
Predictions: SU Winner – CLE, ATS Winner – CLE
Notes
Cleveland ranks seventh in points per game with 102.5, while Dallas ranks 19th in points allowed with an average of 100.3 given up.
Dallas ranks 22nd in points allowed per home game (100.5 PPG), while Cleveland ranks ninth in points per away game with 101.5.
In games where they allow fewer than 100 points, the Cleveland Cavaliers are a superb 29-6. In games where they score fewer than 100 points, the Dallas Mavericks have a poor record of 8-14.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have a poor 11-19 record in games where they have allowed at least 100 points. The Dallas Mavericks are 33-10 when they hit the century mark.
The Cavaliers have the third-best offensive rating in the NBA (107.7). The Mavericks are also in the top half of the league based on their defensive rating of 102.7 (ranked 14th).
Dallas has an average field goal percentage of 46.0% (ranked fifth). Cleveland is an underachieving 10-17 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
On average, the Dallas Mavericks attempt 26.3 three point field goals per game and the Cleveland Cavaliers attempt 26.6 per game. In games where they attempt at least 25 threes, Dallas has a winning 29-15 record, while Cleveland is 22-18.
Dallas ranks near the top of the league with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.84 (ranked fifth). Cleveland is ranked 13th, with an A/TO of 1.63.
The Dallas Mavericks rebound 42.1 times per game and are ranked 23rd. Ranked 17th, the Cleveland Cavaliers rebound 43.1 times per game.
Dallas is ranked 24th in defensive rebounds, while Cleveland ranks 11th in offensive rebounds.
Dallas is among the best in forcing turnovers, with opponents averaging a TOV% of 15.9% (ranked third). Cleveland has a 9-10 record SU when its TOV% reaches 15.9% or greater.
