Dallas, TX
San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks Prediction, Preview, and Odds – 12-23-2023
San Antonio Spurs (4-23) vs. Dallas Mavericks (16-11)
The 2023-24 NBA season goes on Saturday, December 23, with the San Antonio Spurs taking on the Dallas Mavericks in the Southwest Division showdown at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, with the tip-off at 8:30 PM ET.
San Antonio and Dallas lock horns for the second time this season. Back in October, the Mavericks outlasted the Spurs 126-119 as 4.5-point road favorites, and the game went over a 231-point line.
Struggling to pick winners in the NBA? We have the best NBA Predictions available.
The Spurs are a bad team
The San Antonio Spurs (4-23; 11-16 ATS) have only won one of their last 22 games. They beat the Los Angeles Lakers 129-115 on December 15. Since then, the lowly Spurs have dropped three straight contests against the New Orleans Pelicans 146-110, Milwaukee Bucks 132-119, and Chicago Bulls 114-95.
Last Thursday, the Spurs failed to cover a 6.5-point spread at the United Center in Chicago. They committed 19 turnovers on the night and allowed the Bulls to make 54.4% of their field goals. Devin Vassell led the way for San Antonio with 21 points, while rookie Victor Wembanyama had just seven points, five rebounds, and five assists in 22 minutes on the floor.
The Spurs are a complete disaster on both sides of the ball. They score 107.1 points per 100 possessions (29th in the NBA) on 45.4% shooting from the field (27th) while surrendering 118.6 points in return (24th) on 49.3% shooting from the field (26th). Wembanyama is the Spurs’ leading scorer with 18.5 points per game, and Vassell adds 18.3 points a night.
Claim the best betting offers available from all the online sportsbooks
The Mavs play without rest
Friday’s games have been excluded from the analysis, and the 16-11 Dallas Mavericks visited the Houston Rockets, hoping to stop their two-game slide. Over their previous two outings, the Mavs have lost at the Denver Nuggets 130-104 and to the Los Angeles Clippers 120-111.
Dallas erased a 22-point deficit in Los Angeles this past Wednesday but couldn’t find a way to upset the Clippers, who scored 35 points in the fourth quarter. The Mavericks shot just 42.9% from the field (14-for-43 from deep) and were outscored in the paint 60-38. Luka Doncic had 28 points, ten assists, and nine rebounds, while Tim Hardaway Jr. notched 21 points off the bench.
The Mavericks were sixth in the Western Conference on Friday night. They ranked seventh in the NBA in adjusted offensive efficiency (118.9 points per 100 possessions) and 23rd in adjusted defensive efficiency (117.6). The Mavs miss Kyrie Irving (23.0 PPG), who’s out indefinitely due to a heel injury.
Friday’s Top Plays
Friday’s Top Plays
Michael Briggs – 7-1 CFB Run – Snag Michael’s Friday CFB 10 Star Best Bet For Just $29 – CLICK HERE
Tom Macrina – 17-3-2 CFB Run – Grab Tom’s Friday Night CFB Best Bet For Just $29 – CLICK HERE
David Hess – 10-2 NHL Totals Run – Grab David’s Friday Night NHL Totals Annihilator For Just $29 – CLICK HERE
Brick Haus Sports – 7-1 NBA Run – Snag Brick’s Friday Night NBA Best Bet For Just $29 – CLICK HERE
Will Rogers – 9-2 CBB Run – Snatch Up Will’s CBB Early Riser For Just $30 – CLICK HERE
Best Bets for this Game
Full-Game Side Bet
Insiders Status:
Rating:
The Mavericks have serious injury problems. Luka Doncic (quad), Dereck Lively II (ankle), Dante Exum (leg), and Maxi Kleber (toe) were all set to miss Friday’s clash against the Rockets. I suggest you keep tracking the injury report and if only Luka Doncic returns for the Spurs game, take San Antonio to cover.
Dallas is not a good defensive team. The Mavs miss Kyrie Irving a lot, and I think the Spurs will hang around against the injury-depleted Dallas team. San Antonio loves to share the ball (27.9 assists per 100 possessions, 5th in the league), and the Spurs will attack the rim a lot in this matchup, as the Mavs’ interior defense is far from an elite level, especially without Lively II in the lineup.
Prediction: Take the San Antonio Spurs ATS
Want a second opinion on this pick?
Full-Game Total Pick
Insiders Status:
Rating:
With both teams struggling to defend, I can only look at the over. Also, these two foes like to pick up the pace. The Spurs register 102.2 possessions per 48 minutes (3rd in the NBA), and the Mavericks record 100.1 possessions per 48 minutes (10th).
The total has gone over in each of the last seven encounters between the Spurs and Mavs. The over is 10-5 in the Mavericks’ last 15 outings on the home floor, and it is 4-1 in the Spurs’ previous five contests overall.
Prediction: Go over