NBA
Washington Wizards vs Dallas Mavericks Preview: Odds, Tips and Prediction
Kick Off Time: 08.30 PM ET Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas SportsBoom previews the NBA cross-conference match between the Dallas Mavericks and the Washington Wizards at American Airlines Center on Monday, 27th January 2025. With the All-Star break in sight, and more than half the season in the rear view, teams are jostling for a better position on the standings. Suspense is building ahead of tipoff, with NBA fans ransacking NBA sites for betting. As you seek to assess odds and dive into your wager, we offer you best-picks and provide an in-depth analysis of this match in our full preview.
Luka Doncic and Jordan Pool//Getty Images
The Washington Wizards will travel to Dallas to face the Dallas Mavericks, already resigned to the fate that they are a lottery team. The two teams have already squared up once this season, with the Mavericks handing the Wizards a thorough beat down in the capital.
The Washington Wizards are currently the worst team in the NBA, only registering six wins and their performance is nothing to write home about. They have been mediocre so far, with players failing to gel. The offseason additions of veteran center, Jonas Valanciunas, has not triggered the desired effect. It seems to be another tanking season for the Wizards, who most likely hope to make significant changes in the upcoming offseason, if they are to restore honor to their organizational badge and the City of Washington.
On the other hand, the Dallas Mavericks have terribly lost seven of their last ten games. After beginning the season in fantastic form, many expected them to be among the top teams in the conference, due to their strong additions in the offseason and continued roster development. However, they have been on free-fall of late, with injuries to their franchise player Luca Doncic and his co-star Kyrie Irving proving to be detrimental. Mavericks are ninth on the Western conference log and with their starting center Dereck Lively II ruled out for more than two months, the future is looking bleak.
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
Washington Wizards: 5/2 (3.50) – 28.57%
Dallas Mavericks: 1/3 (1.33) – 75.19%
Forecast Odds – Betting available on Stake closer to event
Head-to-Head Record
The Dallas Mavericks and the Washington Wizards have played 86 games in the regular season, with 49 victories for the Mavericks and 37 for the Wizards. The two franchises have never met in the playoffs.
Over their historical five-game stretch, the Mavericks have claimed three victories while the Wizards have claimed two.
LAST FIVE MATCHES
| Season | Date | Result |
| 2024/2025 | December 5th 2024 | Washington Wizards 101-137 Dallas Mavericks |
| 2023/2024 | February 12th 2024 | Dallas Mavericks 112-104 Washington Wizards |
| 2023/2024 | November 15th 2023 | Washington Wizards 117-130 Dallas Mavericks |
| 2022/2023 | January 24th 2023 | Dallas Mavericks 126-127 Washington Wizards |
| 2022/2023 | November 10th 2022 | Washington Wizards 113-105 Dallas Mavericks |
HOW IS THE SEASON SO FAR FOR BOTH TEAMS?
Dallas Mavericks: Current Form LLWLL
- Overall Record: 23-21
- Home Record: 13-9
- Away Record: 10-12
The Dallas Mavericks haven’t lived up to the billing so far this season, with a 23-21 record that sees them sit on ninth place in the Western Conference standings.
Much was expected from the team after making it to the NBA Finals last season, coupled up with one of the best offseason roster shakeups. However, to say things haven’t gone to plan would be an understatement. Their long post season run has proved to detrimental to the health and fitness of players this season, as it was the first deep run in the playoffs for most of them. The short turn-around of the season has left them fatigue and susceptible to injuries.
The addition of Klay Thompson was supposed to add elite shooting on the wings, which was one of their kryptonite last seasons especially in the finals against the Boston Celtics. Thompson has tremendously regressed. He missed a potential game, clinching three against the Charlotte Hornets, despite being unmarked.
Naji Marshall and Spencer Dinwiddie have ignited the rotation unit but still the Mavericks are far from where they would like to be, mostly as a result of injuries and chemistry issues. Their franchise player Luca Doncic has missed games due to a wrist strain and a left calf strain. The injury list has further increased with Dereck Lively II confirmed to be unavailable for the next two to three months.
Superstar point guard, Kyrie Irving has also been plagued with different injuries and this has robbed the franchise a chance to field their most potent lineup on a regular basis.
The role players for Dallas will have to get their act together if they are to avoid falling further in the brutal and vastly improved Western Conference standings, by the time they get their full arsenal back on the court.
Dallas will be looking to complete seasonal sweep and avoid any slip ups against the Wizards, with every game proving to be important in the tough Western Conference.
Dallas Mavericks v Washington Wizards//Getty Images
Key Players to Watch
- Kyrie Irving: Kyrie Irving is one of the best point guards in the NBA. When on form, he is virtually un-guardable. Irving has a deep skillet and an array of moves in his bag, that can’t be matched by anyone in the history of the game. Although he has been hampered by injuries this season, Irving has averaged 24.5 points per game.
- Klay Thompson: Klay Thompson has struggled in some games this season. However, let that not deceive that he is washed-up. Klay is still one of the best shooters in the NBA and has already hit over 16,000 career points. He has missed a few games due to a niggling ankle sprain but may return to full fitness before this matchup, which will offer an opportunity to build his confidence, considering the poor state of the Wizards’ defense.
- Spencer Dinwiddie: Spencer Dinwiddie has stepped in and filled the starting point guard role in the absence of Luca Doncic. Although his production is nowhere near that of Luca, he has consistently contributed as a capable playmaker and scorer. He is comfortable in his role and is key to helping the Mavericks withstand the injuries.
Dallas Mavericks Team News
Luka Doncic is rehabilitating his calf strain and Dereck Lively has suffered a fracture in his right foot and is expected to miss 2-to-3 months.
Jaden Hardy’s and Klay Thompson’s ankle injuries are still a nuisance, while Naji Marshall may be back after missing games due to an illness. Dante Exum, who underwent wrist surgery will remain sidelined and Dwight Powell’s hip injury will be re-evaluated.
Washington Wizards: Current Form LLLLW
- Overall Record: 6-36
- Home Record: 5-18
- Away Record: 1-18
The Washington Wizards have been downright awful. They lack of direction paints a picture of a franchise in limbo. At the moment, they are the worst team in the NBA and are tanking, hoping to win the lottery for next year’s NBA draft.
The Wizards are dead last, on the Eastern Conference standings, with a dismal record of 6-36. The offseason additions have failed to bring any impact as evidenced by center Jonas Valanciunas’s demotion to the bench, in favor of rookie, Alex Sarr. Jordan Poole continues to play selfish hero ball that makes him look like a clown on the court. This has resulted to serious chemistry issues for the entire squad. On the other hand, Kyle Kuzma is more renowned for his controversial fashion sense before and after games, rather than his production on the court.
However, there are still some positives within the organization. Bilal Coulibaly is developing into a solid two-player. Malcolm Brogdon, Corey Kispert and Justin Champagnie have offered a bright spark of the bench. Rookie shooting guard, Bub Carrington, has been a revelation since joining the starting lineup and the experience will be vital for his career.
The Wizards are already out of playoff contention and only putting in professional performances.
Key Players to Watch
- Jordan Poole: Jordan Poole is a pain to watch. Ever since his trade from the Warriors, he has been exposed as one of the most mediocre and childish players in the NBA. His production was expected to take a significant boost but that has not been the case. However, Poole can shoot lights out when least expected. He is the team’s leader in points, assists and steals, with an average of 21.4 points, 4.7 assists and 1.5 steals.
- Jonas Valanciunas: Jonas Valanciunas is a solid veteran center that goes about his business with much fuss. Although he was demoted to the bench in favor of rookie Alex Sarr, he is even with Sarr in points scored (11.6) and he leads the team with 8.2 rebounds. With Dallas suffering an injury crisis to its paint players, Valanciunas may explode.
- Bilal Coulibaly: Bilal Coulibaly has seen remarkable growth in his game. His potential is great but he needs to continue putting in the work. This season, Coulibaly has developed into a decent two-player. The Frenchman is averaging 12.3 points per game, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals.
Washington Wizards Team News
Malcolm Brogdon is questionable to play due to a foot injury, as is Marvin Bagley III who is rehabilitating a knee injury.
Predicted Lineups
The lineup for the actual game may differ to some extent, owing to team dynamics and player injuries or other related factors.
Dallas Mavericks Lineup
- Point Guard: Spencer Dinwiddie
- Shooting Guard: Kyrie Irving
- Small Forward: Klay Thompson
- Power Forward: P.J. Washington Jr.
- Center: Daniel Gafford
Washington Wizards Lineup
- Point Guard: Jordan Poole
- Shooting Guard: Bub Carrington
- Small Forward: Bilal Coulibaly
- Power Forward: Kyle Kuzma
- Center: Alex Sarr
Suggested Bets
The odds and betting lines will be available closer to the game.
Dallas Mavericks to Win: The Mavericks are favored by the home court advantage and compared to the Wizards, they have a much better record. Moreover, the Wizards have lost in 12 consecutive games, rendering them a dismal record this season.
Dallas Mavericks to Cover Spread: The Mavericks are likely to secure a wide-gapped win, considering that the Wizards has lost most of its games by a considerable margin. In their most recent encounter, on December 5, 2024, the Mavericks thrashed the Wizards 137-101, and a replay of this encounter is anticipated in this game.
Over 220.5 Total Points: The Mavericks have been averaging 115 points per game this season, while the wizards have been averaging 107 points, despite their current struggles. However, they have a higher defensive concession. This suggests that this game may be a high-scoring encounter.
Value Bets
Spencer Dinwiddie – Over 20 points: Being a consistent scorer for the Mavericks and coupled with the Wizards’ defensive struggles, Spencer’s ability to score over 20 points in this game is expected.
P. Washington Jr. – Over 9.5 rebounds: In the last 10 games that Washington Jr. has played, he has averaged at least 10.5 rebounds per game. Therefore, he is expected to exceed 9.5 rebounds in this matchup.
Kyle Kuzma – Over 11.5 points + 5.5 rebounds: In his recent games, Kuzma has achieve more than a combined total of 17 points and rebounds, implying that this pick is reasonable.
Prediction: Dallas Mavericks to Win
The Maverick’s better record that the Wizards and home-court advantage offers them an upper hand in this game, making them more susceptible to victory. The Wizards have faced losses in more than 10 games and considering their defensive challenges, the win is titled towards the Mavericks.
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Ian Mugo Wanyeki is based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a sports enthusiast with vast knowledge of different sport disciplines. Ian is a graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Kenyatta University. He is a Kenyan journalist who’s worked as a sports analyst at Covenant Television Network, as a sports reporter at NTV and as a Sports Correspondent/contributor at Quartz Africa.
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