The Dallas Mavericks and the Denver Nuggets meet for the second time this season. The Nuggets won the first showdown against Dallas, but it will be a much different setup this weekend involving the two teams, with Luka Doncic and potentially Nikola Jokic out.

Catch this game live on Saturday, November 23, 2024 at 11:00 AM, Manila time

Away: Dallas Mavericks (8-7/2-4 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Quentin Grimes
  • Kyrie Irving
  • Klay Thompson
  • P.J. Washington
  • Dereck Lively II

The Mavericks are on a three-game win streak but it’s also hard for them to smile after getting punched in the mouth by a brutal injury news regarding Luka Doncic. The Slovenian superstar is reportedly expected to miss at least a week with a right wrist strain injury. While it doesn’t seem serious enough to worry about his status for the remainder of the campaign, Doncic’s injury means that the Mavs will not have him on the court in this rematch against the Nuggets. 

At the same time, that also doesn’t mean that the Mavericks will be powerless in Mile High City, with Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson ready to provide the firepower for Dallas’ offense which is averaging 115.6 points per game. Irving exploded for 43 points in the Mavericks’ 122-120 road loss to the Nuggets on Nov. 10. Quentin Grimes could get a spot start in lieu of Doncic. Grimes can’t be mistaken for Doncic, but he’s a 40% 3-point shooter who can hit Denver with daggers.

On the season, the Mavs are 7-7-1 against the spread. They are also 5 – 4 – 1ATS in their last 10 games in Denver.

Home: Denver Nuggets (8-5/5-2 Home)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Jamal Murray
  • Christian Braun
  • Michael Porter Jr.
  • Peyton Watson
  • Nikola Jokic (Questionable)

The Nuggets could also be without their (and arguably the league’s) best player, with three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic listed as questionable for Saturday’s game due to personal reasons. Jokic has missed the last three Nuggets games, during which Denver has gone 1-2 straight up. That stretch includes their 122-110 road win over the Memphis Grizzlies last Wednesday. 

Without Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. led the way for Denver, as they scored 27 and 24 points, respectively. In the three games Jokic missed, Porter averaged 19.3 points while Murray put up 18.7 points. Christian Braun has also stepped up, having scored 19 points in the win over Memphis. Jokic had a bonkers triple-double of 37 points, 18 rebounds, and 15 assists in the first meeting with Dallas, so his potential absence this Saturday adds pressure to those who are available for the Nuggets. Among them is Russell Westbrook, who just had a trip-dub himself against Memphis with 12 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds off the bench.

The Nuggets are  3-3-1 ATS in games after a win this season, thus far.

Picks

Spread: Mavericks (+3.0)

Over/Under: 227.0(Under)