Dallas Mavericks vs Toronto Raptors Prediction & Match Preview - October 23rd, 2021 | NBA Season 2021-22
The Dallas Mavericks will look to bounce back as they visit the Toronto Raptors. Dallas is coming off a disappointing opening night performance that saw the team lose to the Atlanta Hawks by a score of 113-87. The Raptors will be looking to build some momentum after an impressive 115-83 victory on the road against the Boston Celtics.
The Dallas Mavericks will be looking for their first win of the season as they find themselves with a 0-1 record to start the year. The Toronto Raptors have split their first two games of the year and will come into the game with a 1-1 record.
Match Details
Fixture: Dallas Mavericks vs Toronto Raptors | NBA Regular Season 2021-22.
Date & Time: Saturday, October 23rd; 7:30 PM ET (Sunday, October 24th; 5:00 AM IST).
Venue: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON.
Dallas Mavericks Preview
There was plenty of intrigue to see what the Dallas Mavericks would look like on opening night behind new head coach Jason Kidd. Unfortunately for the Mavericks, it was a disappointing performance that should leave plenty of fans anxious for a motivated effort from the team. The hope was that head coach Jason Kidd could add an extra wrinkle to this offense, potentially making them more dangerous on the court. Unfortunately for Kidd, it was a nightmare performance for the Mavericks against the Hawks as they went on to shoot 33.3% from the field as a team. Kidd thought that the Mavericks got good shots but just had an unlucky night.
“I thought guys got great looks. They just didn’t go in for us tonight.”
Per Second Spectrum, Mavs’ expected shot quality tonight was 48.4%. That stat was worse for the Mavs in only six games last season. twitter.com/espn_macmahon/…
It's no secret that bad nights can happen for NBA teams at any time, especially when it comes to starting out the year. It was a night in which the Mavericks were simply playing from behind throughout the majority of the game. Dallas hopes to get out of the gate on a positive step to prevent a repeat performance.
Key Player - Luka Doncic
It shouldn't be much of a surprise to know that all eyes will be on Luka Doncic in this one. The dangerous superstar has the ability to take over a game at any moment with his offensive firepower. After a poor shooting performance on opening night, Doncic will be motivated to carry his team to a sudden, much-needed win against the Raptors.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
G - Luka Doncic; G - Tim Hardaway Jr.; F - Dorian Finney-Smith; F - Kristaps Porzingis; C - Dwight Powell.
Toronto Raptors Preview
The Toronto Raptors suffered a disappointing opening night loss at home to the Washington Wizards. However, they bounced back in a big way with a dominant win over the Boston Celtics on the road. Many wondered if the Raptors were going to be a team that could have a bit of a "rebound" year when it comes to competitiveness. They have shown they are going to be a scrappy team with their versatility on both sides of the ball, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Cherry on top
25p - 13r - @ScottBarnes561 https://t.co/utMGZAIzff
It was an impressive win for the Raptors and they will have plenty of renewed confidence heading into the showdown against the Dallas Mavericks. Teams are usually known to struggle when it comes to back-to-back games. But the Raptors will lean on their home crowd to provide them with an extra boost to bring home their second consecutive win.
Key Player - Scottie Barnes
It's hard to ignore how impressive Toronto Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes has been so far this year. Toronto invested their future in Barnes when they selected him with the fourth overall selection in the 2021 NBA Draft. Many thought that Barnes would take some time to find his groove in the NBA, but that hasn't been the case. Barnes was one of the most dominant players in the recent game against the Boston Celtics, finishing the night with 25 points, 13 rebounds and two assists.
Toronto Raptors Predicted Lineup
G - Goran Dragic; G - Fred VanVleet; F - OG Anunoby; F - Scottie Barnes; C - Precious Achiuwa.
Mavericks vs Raptors Match Prediction
The Dallas Mavericks are going to come into this one in a bit of desperation. After an embarrassing performance on opening night against the Atlanta Hawks, the Mavericks will do everything in their power to make sure they don't fall to 0-2 to start the regular season. Toronto will be dealing with a back-to-back and they are going to have to find an extra burst of energy to stop a determined Mavericks team. This one should be a hard fought game, but expect Luka Doncic to have a big night and carry the Mavericks to a win.
Where to watch Mavericks vs Raptors?
Local coverage of the game will be provided by The Sports Network and Bally Sports Southwest. You can also live stream this matchup via the NBA League Pass.