Injuries inevitably take their toll through the NBA season. The Detroit Pistons have already felt the heat, while the Dallas Mavericks are starting to have serious issues at the trainer’s table. Now the two teams will have to navigate their difficulties out on the court this Saturday night.
The Pistons are 7.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. They’re priced at -290 on the moneyline, while the Mavericks are +235 underdogs. The total for this game is set at 226.5 points. Let’s get into my preview, prediction and pick for this Mavericks vs. Pistons game.
Mavericks vs. Pistons prediction, preview
The Mavs’ injury report is a lengthy one. In addition to Kyrie Irving’s absence, Dallas will be without its starting frontcourt in Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II. Both are dynamic defensive presences that will be sorely missed against a large Pistons squad. The Mavericks better hope that Daniel Gafford, who is listed as questionable, will be able to go. Otherwise, they don’t have much of a plan to contain Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart.Detroit has leaned on its defense this season. Its imposing frontcourt combined with the perimeter defense of Ausar Thompson and Ron Holland II has made the team a top-10 unit on the year. It’s the offense where the struggles start; without Jaden Ivey, Cade Cunningham has shouldered a massive offensive burden. But that’s nothing new for him; Cunningham had the third-highest usage rate in all of the NBA last season. And he only continues to improve.
How these two teams generate offense tonight is the major question. Dallas has defenders like Naji Marshall, Max Christie and young dynamo Cooper Flagg to throw at Cunningham in the hopes of containing him. Meanwhile, the Mavs will have to lean heavily on Flagg and D’Angelo Russell (assuming he plays through a questionable tag) to create shots. How that turns out is anyone’s guess, especially when blanketed by the defense firm of Thompson and Holland.
Mavericks vs. Pistons pick, best bet
These injuries are too much for Dallas to overcome. Davis and Lively are crucial to their two-way success, and the team already looked rough, as Irving’s absence is felt offensively. Flagg looks like what he is: the youngest player in the NBA. Asking him to save this team at 18 years old is too tall of a task. Detroit has its issues, but it’s not anywhere close to as dire as Dallas’ struggles.
