NBA 2021/22 on Thursday, 06.01.2022
For tonight, basketball fans get another interesting NBA tip. This time I focus my analysis on the exciting game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors!
The Mavs will not only benefit from the home court advantage. In fact, in my Mavericks Warriors tip, I will address why the recent return of Luka Doncic could be a headache for the Californians – and especially centre Kevon Looney…
The defeat in the game against the Nuggets, which I correctly predicted, was the Warriors’ only loss from their last six games. Before and after that, on the other hand, there were victories in absolute NBA thrillers.
With the 116-107 victory in top game number one against the Suns, the Californians first secured the lead in the Eastern Division, while in the triumph over the Jazz that followed shortly afterwards, they were able to underline their claim to this year’s NBA crown once again!
In the latter match, Stephen Curry set a new NBA record. For the league’s best long-range shooter, it was the 158th consecutive game with at least one converted three-pointer – setting his own record in the process!
But to top it all off, the Californians just celebrated another victory yesterday – this time over the Miami Heat, the fourth-placed team from the Western Conference who were still spotted in the playoffs last year!
So it should be unmistakably clear to everyone that Golden State’s high-flying streak can easily continue until the end of the season and is currently experiencing its absolute peak. Tonight, however, they will be facing a team that is certainly capable of a surprise.
The Mavericks currently have a positive record (19-18) – despite the fact that several key players have been indisposed in recent weeks. Superstar Luka Doncic, for example, has not played for his team since 10 December.
The emphasis in my last sentence is deliberately on the word “played”! In the meantime, the Slovenian has been back for a few days – and with him Tim Hardaway Jr. and Maxi Kleber!
All three were released from quarantine in the meantime and promptly led the Mavs to a 103-89 victory in yesterday’s NBA clash against the Denver Nuggets – the fourth win in a row.
Maxi Kleber immediately found his place in the starting five, while Luka Doncic, with 21 points, still looked a little stiff in the hips after his long time out. However, his 15 assists paved the way to the Texans’ 19th win of the season!
The reason why I also associate a possible victory over the Californians with the return of Luka Doncic in the jersey of the Mavs has also to do with the experience of the last years from the direct duels.
The Mavericks have won six of the last seven meetings against the Californians. The last encounter in April 2021 stands out as a prime example of how difficult the Warriors tend to find it against Luka Doncic.
On that night, the Slovenian led Dallas to a commanding 133-103 victory in which he was the centre of attention with 39 points! His direct opponent, Kevon Looney, was no match for him then – and probably won’t be again this time!
Doncic and Co are “only” considered outsiders with odds of about 2.80 at the moment.
The 1.50 odds offered for the Californians to win, on the other hand, express the bookies’ much greater confidence in a continuation of the blue and yellow team’s triumphant march!
Conclusion: The Warriors are in outstanding form at the moment, there’s no denying that. With two recent wins over the Suns and Jazz, the Californians have clearly proven that there is no way around them in the Eastern Conference.
Nevertheless, they face an extremely tricky task tonight. Not only did the Mavs win their last two games against Golden State, but they can also look forward to the return of key players like Maxi Kleber and Luka Doncic.
The Slovenian in particular could cause problems for the home side. In their last meeting, he led the Mavs to a 133-103 victory in which he set the tone and was hardly ever challenged by his counterpart Looney.
My Mavericks Warriors tip: Win for the home side!
