NBA 2018-19, Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks: Preview and Prediction
Boston Celtics (22-15) vs Dallas Mavericks (18-19), TD Garden
The Boston Celtics will host the Dallas Mavericks tonight at the TD Graden in Boston, Massachusetts.
The Celtics are coming off a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves, whereas the Mavericks routed the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.
Let us see how things stand for both teams tonight.
The Boston Celtics perspective
After suffering a loss at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, the Celtics pulled off a comeback with a win against the Timberwolves without Kyrie Irving, who missed the fixture due to an eye injury.
The Timberwolves were lucky for Gordon Hayward as he finished both the games against them with 30 or more points. He scored 35 in the last match, and it will be a significant boost for his confidence.
Terry Rozier was the part of the starting five and ended up with 16 points and five assists. Also, Al Horford chipped in 15 points and grabbed five rebounds.
The Celtics will be looking to take advantage of the home crowd and start building some winning momentum tonight.
The Dallas Mavericks perspective
The Mavericks have split their last six games and will be looking to develop some consistency this season.
They routed the Hornets on Wednesday night. Offensively, everybody chipped in for the scoring. Dennis Smith Jr. and Luka Doncic scored 18 points apiece, while Harrison Barnes contributed 17 points and four rebounds.
They were terrific defensively as they restricted Hornets to just 84 points. They will be looking to continue this effort tonight at the Garden.
How things might unfold
The Boston Celtics are a great defensive team and have great shooters on the perimeter. They have a deep line up and the bench is a great asset for them.
The Mavericks beat this Celtics side in November and have the potential to do that again tonight. It will all depend on how they defend tonight, but their inconsistency could cost them on the road.
Prediction: Boston Celtics to beat Dallas Mavericks