Who’s going to stop the rampaging Brooklyn Nets? The Dallas Mavericks will look to be that team, as they visit the Nets this Sunday for what should be a high-scoring affair.

Catch this game live on Sunday, February 28, at 9:30 AM, Manila time

HOME TEAM: Brooklyn Nets (22-12, 13-5 at home)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Kyrie Irving
  • SG: James Harden
  • SG: Bruce Brown
  • SF: Joe Harris
  • C: DeAndre Jordan

The Nets are becoming the team that everyone feared when it was first reported that James Harden will join Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in Brooklyn. But even without Durant, the Nets are rolling and have just extended their win streak to eight games after crushing the Orlando Magic at home last Friday, 129-92.

Not only are the Nets on a long unbeaten run, but they have also covered the spread in all the games during that span. Durant has played in just one game of Brooklyn’s current undefeated streak, but the Nets are succeeding because Irving and Harden are doing a fantastic job carrying the team. Irving has averaged 27.1 points on 51.1 FG% in the last eight Nets games, while Harden has put up 26.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 10.6 assists in that same time.

What’s making things easier for Brooklyn is that its supporting cast is producing as well, with Joe Harris and Bruce Brown stepping up and filling in the cracks on offense for the Nets, who are the highest-scoring team in the league today.

The Nets, who are 5-1 ATS in their last six at home,  are averaging 121.4 points per game on also an NBA-best 50.2 FG%.

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ROAD TEAM: Dallas Mavericks (15-16, 7-8 on the road)

Projected Starting Five:

  • PG: Luka Doncic
  • SG: Josh Richardson
  • SF: Dorian Finney-Smith
  • PF: Maxi Kleber
  • C: Kristaps Porzingis

Still without Kristaps Porzingis, the Mavs suffered their first loss in three games, as they tasted defeat at the hands o the Philadelphia 76ers last Friday on the road, 111-97. The blowout loss showed just how much the Mavs miss Porzingis, who did not suit up due to a bad back.

The Latvian unicorn has missed the last three Mavs games, though head coach Rick Carlisle appears optimistic of Porzingis’ chances to play this Sunday. Even if Porzingis returns to action and plays against the surging Nets, it’s likely that his minutes will be limited. In other words, Luka Doncic will still be left with a heavy burden to carry the Mavs’ offense that is averaging 111.9 points per game and 1.14 points per possession.

Doncic had a bit of a hard time running pick-and-roll plays against the Sixers and finished with just 19 points on 6-of-13 FGA/M and seven turnovers, but he can turn things around versus Brooklyn’s leaky defense that is 28th in scoring defense (116.3) and 28th in opponents turnovers percentage (11.1%).

The Mavs are 23-11-2 against the spread in their last 36 games on a Sunday (Manila).

PREDICTIONS:

This will be a high-scoring game between two teams that are both in the top 10 of adjusted offensive rating and bottom six of adjusted defensive rating. In a shootout, we’re picking the Nets to win, 125-122.