NBA 2018-19, Portland Trail Blazers vs Dallas Mavericks: Predicted Starting Lineups and Match Prediction
Portland Trail Blazers (33-21) vs Dallas Mavericks (25-29), American Airlines Center, 3:00 pm ET
The Dallas Mavericks will host the Portland Trail Blazers tonight at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
The Mavericks are coming off a defeat against the Milwaukee Bucks, whereas the Blazers beat the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.
Let us see how things stand for both teams tonight.
The Portland Trail Blazers' perspective
The Blazers are 33-21 for the season and sit at the fourth place in the West. They are playing some excellent basketball and are looking to prove a point this season.
They grabbed a massive victory on Thursday, beating the San Antonio Spurs at the Moda Center. However, tonight they are on the road and have been up and down in the away games.
Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum have been hot this season, averaging 20+ points. They will be looking to dominate the short-handed Mavs tonight, who have lost a few of their resources during the trade window.
Predicted starting lineup: Al-Farouq Aminu, Maurice Harkless, Jusuf Nurkic, Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum
The Dallas Mavericks' perspective
The Dallas Mavericks have lost three games in their last eight and have been struggling to find consistency. They lost to the Bucks in their last game and will be eager to bounce back from that.
Luka Doncic can no more be called a rookie as he is dominating the floor with his scoring and has become the primary go-to man for the team.
The Mavs shot 22 three-points in the last game, a franchise record. They would be looking to knock a few more down tonight and catch the Blazers off guard.
Predicted starting lineup: Tim Hardaway Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson
How things might unfold
Portland beat the Mavs on December 23, and a similar result is expected tonight.
The Blazers have been in fine form lately with both their guards repeatedly bringing their best to the court. On the other hand, the Mavs are still recovering from the losses during the trade window.
I am in for the Blazers tonight.
Prediction: Portland Trail Blazers to beat Dallas Mavericks