Dallas Mavericks vs Golden State Warriors: Match Preview and Predictions - 28th December 2019
Match details
Fixture: Dallas Mavericks vs Golden State Warriors
Date & Time: Saturday, 28th December 2019 (8:30 PM ET)
Venue: Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
Last game results
Dallas Mavericks (20-10): 102-98 win against the San Antonio Spurs (26th December, Thursday)
Golden State Warriors (9-24): 105-96 win against the Phoenix Suns (27th December, Friday)
Dallas Mavericks Preview
Dallas Mavericks had built up a head of steam early on, racing off to an 18-8 start to the new season before suffering a setback.
2019 Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic collapsed to the floor in a game against the Miami Heat, clutching his ankle in pain. Luckily for the Mavericks, Doncic would go on to miss just four games which Dallas ended up splitting.
Doncic returned for the game against San Antonio last time around and did not miss a step, leading the Mavericks to their 20th victory of the season and helping them maintain their grasp on the fifth spot in the Western Conference Standings.
They will be eyeing another victory when they travel to San Francisco to take on the Golden State Warriors, who possess the league's third-worst record.
Key Player - Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic's stellar performances thus far have firmly put him in the conversation for league MVP.
Doncic has facilitated this Dallas offense, which boasts the best rating in the league, in ways no one could have imagined and he has not shown any signs of slowing down.
The Slovenian is averaging a sensational 29.1 points, 9.6 rebounds and 8.8 assists on 47.7% shooting from the field.
He enters this contest on the back of a solid 24-point display against San Antonio and should be in for another big night against a Golden State side that possesses one of the worst defenses in the league.
Mavericks predicted lineup
Kristaps Porzingis, Dorian Finney-Smith, Dwight Powell, Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr.
Golden State Warriors Preview
The Golden State Warriors were believed to be firmly in tank mode when they managed just two wins across a 14-game stretch in late November and early December.
However, a return to the Chase Center has resulted in an upturn in fortunes. The Warriors have reeled off four consecutive wins, including shock victories against the Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns.
A feature of the Warriors' resurgence has been their tendency to fight hard and that was on evidence in their most recent victory against the Suns in which they overcame a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to seal a comfortable win.
They will need a lot more of that when they host the red-hot Mavericks later tonight.
Key Player - D'Angelo Russell
After a scintillating start to life in Golden State, D'Angelo Russell cooled off significantly in early December.
However, he seems to have regained his spark and has starred in each of the Warriors' four recent victories, averaging over 25 points across that stretch.
Russell poured in 31 points in the Warriors' victory against Phoenix and will need to come up with more of the same when Golden State host the Mavericks.
Warriors predicted lineup
Glenn Robinson III, Draymond Green, Willie Cauley-Stein, Damion Lee, D'Angelo Russell
Mavericks vs Warriors Match Prediction
The Warriors have dominated the recent head to head between these two teams, winning 19 of their last 23 meetings. However, the Mavericks have won two straight, including a 142-94 blowout earlier this season.
Dallas boast a phenomenal road record away from the American Airlines Center, having won 10 of their 13 road games thus far.
They also possess the league's best offense and with Doncic returning to full fitness, they should have far too much firepower for Golden State to contend with.
Where to Watch Mavericks vs Warriors?
The game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area and FOX Sports Southwest - Dallas from 8:30 PM (ET). You can live stream the game via NBA League Pass.