Interconference rivals square off on Monday night as the Dallas Mavericks host the Milwaukee Bucks at American Airlines Center.
The Bucks (6-4, 6th East) aim to avoid losing back-to-back games for the first time this season, while the Mavericks (3-7, 14th West) try to build momentum after recently snapping a four-game slide.
Looking at the injury report, Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is listed as probable for Milwaukee, while Taurean Prince (neck) and Kevin Porter Jr. (knee) remain sidelined. For Dallas, Kyrie Irving (knee) and Dante Exum (knee) are out, Dereck Lively II (knee) is doubtful, and Anthony Davis (calf) is questionable.
Tipoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET. The Bucks enter as a 2.5-point road favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while the Mavs are listed as a +124 underdog. The game’s total is set at 230.5 points.
Bucks vs. Mavericks Preview
Milwaukee features one of the more dominant offenses in the NBA, but a bottom-third defense has yielded a perfectly average 15th-ranked net rating. The Bucks are a top-10 scoring team, boasting the third-best efficiency from the field (50.7%) and beyond the arc (40.1%) — making over 15 threes per game, the fifth most league-wide. They also commit the fourth fewest turnovers of any team.
Leading the charge for Milwaukee is perennial MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, who leads the team with 33.8 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 6.2 assists on an uber-efficient 63.1% field goal. On Sunday, he became the fastest player in NBA history to reach 300+ points, 100+ rebounds, and 50+ assists in a season.
His availability could be paramount for the Bucks, as his absence would further expose the team’s defects on the other end. Milwaukee is one of the NBA’s worst rebounding squads, producing a dreadful 22nd-ranked defensive rating. Still, Antetokounmpo was listed as probable ahead of Sunday’s contest, as well, but went on to take the court and drop 37.
The Mavericks are in shambles. The shocking Luka Doncic trade has seemingly done irreparable damage to a franchise that could be looking to move on from its general manager, Nico Harrison, if things don’t get turned around — fast.
Anthony Davis has played just 14 of 45 possible games since moving to Dallas, and he could miss another on Monday night. Meanwhile, first overall pick Cooper Flagg continues to take his lumps at the professional level, not yet the franchise savior that the team desperately needs.
Dallas has admittedly been very strong on the defensive end, boasting the NBA’s fourth-best defensive rating. But while they’re a solid rebounding team, the Mavs also allow a ton of boards and second-chance points, while getting crushed in the paint.
Exacerbating the issue, Dallas features the worst offense in the Western Conference. They score the NBA’s fewest points per game (106.5) and are liable for the second-worst three-point percentage (30.3%).
Bucks vs. Mavericks Pick, Best Bet
Antetokounmpo’s availability could be the difference maker. The “Greek Freak” has been a catalyst for the Bucks on both ends of the floor. But even so, Milwaukee has shown its ability to win without him, securing a double-digit victory over the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 30.
Against the Mavericks, a team in complete free fall, count on the Bucks to get the job done — with or without their best player.
