The Golden State Warriors will be the next team to get their shot at stopping the Luka Doncic triple-double freight train, as they take on the Dallas Mavericks on the road this Thursday. Will the Warriors cool down Doncic and the Mavs? Or, will Dallas go 2-0 this season against the Dubs?

Catch this game live on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 8:30 AM, Manila time

Away: Golden State Warriors (34-30/17-13 Away)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Chris Paul
  • Klay Thompson
  • Andrew Wiggins
  • Jonathan Kuminga
  • Draymond Green

The Warriors snapped a two-game skid last Tuesday by getting back at the San Antonio Spurs in a 112-102 road win. Even more good news for the Dubs is that Stephen Curry has been greenlighted to resume on-court workouts. However, the two-time league MVP will not be playing this Thursday against the Mavericks, which means Golden State, which is 10-5-1 against the spread in games this season as a road underdog, will need the other guys to step up to cover the void temporarily left by Curry – again.

In the Spurs game, Jonathan Kuminga led the way for Golden State with 22 points, while the rookie duo of Trayce Jackson-Davis and Brandin Podziemski had 13 and 14 points off the bench, respectively. Golden State is still a dangerous offensive unit even without Curry, and that could manifest anew versus Dallas, which has allowed opponents to average 121.1 points in its last 10 outings – fourth-worst in the NBA in that same span. 

Home: Dallas Mavericks (37-28/19-15  Home)

Projected Starting Five:

  • Luka Doncic
  • Kyrie Irving
  • Derrick Jones Jr.
  • P.J. Washington
  • Daniel Gafford

Whatever Luka Doncic is having, it’s been powering the Slovenian superstar during an insane stretch that has seen him record a triple-double in seven games in a row. His scorching streak has also fueled the Mavs to win all their last three games, including last Tuesday’s 127-92 win in Windy City over the Chicago Bulls. Doncic had 27 points, 12 rebounds, and 14 assists in the Bulls game, the first time in seven games that he failed to have a 30-point trip-dub. 

Doncic is on such a roll also because he’s getting more comfortable with the new weapons around him. Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington have been playing smoothly alongside Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Gafford and Washington weren’t around in December when the Mavs took down Golden State in San Francisco, 132-122, but Doncic skewered the Dubs for 30 points on 14/29 shooting. The Mavericks are 4-0 against the spread in their last four home games against the Warriors.

PREDICTIONS:

Spread: The Mavs (-7.5) cover the spread. 

Over/Under: The total (236.0) hits the Over.