The Dallas Mavericks will be looking to continue their impressive run of form in the NBA when they travel to Chase Center to face a stuttering Golden State Warriors on Monday.
The Warriors are 14-10 for the season and fifth in the Western Conference, while the Mavs are now 16-9 and one spot ahead of their hosts in the conference standings.
Match preview
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The Golden State Warriors have been in a notable slump lately and enter this match after a painful 99-98 loss to the Rockets on Thursday, which saw them eliminated from the Emirates NBA Cup at the quarter-final stage.
After a slow start, Stephen Curry put up 19 points and Jonathan Kuminga continued his solid run of form with 20 points, helping the team overcome a 14-point deficit in the second half, but Houston closed the game on a 7-0 run, which included being awarded a questionable foul that ultimately decided the match.
With that, Steve Kerr's side are now 2-7 across their last nine games and Curry has averaged just 23 points on less than 40% shooting from the floor in that time, which has significantly hindered the Warriors attack - now ranked 28th in offensive rating and 29th in fourth-quarter offense across the period.
For the season, Golden State have slipped to 14th place in the scoring charts, averaging 113.1 points per game, but they are still a top-six team on defence, allowing 108.4 PPG, while holding a 62.5% ATS rate.
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Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA lately but they proved to be no match for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who sent them packing from the NBA Cup 118-104 on Wednesday.
Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall both put up 19 points apiece, Kyrie Irving added 17 points and Luka Doncic chipped in with 16 points and 11 rebounds, but they were outscored 33-19 in the third quarter and were unable to claw back the deficit in the fourth.
Jason Kidd's side are now 8-2 in their last 10 heading to California, and unsurprisingly, much of the focus is around Thompson returning to Chase Center for the second time this season after hitting six threes en route to 22 points on November 13.
Curry and Green ultimately ruined the chance of a winning return for the veteran sharpshooter that night, but since then, the fortunes of both teams have been drastically different, with the Mavs winning 11 of their past 13 games despite the five-time All-Star having yet to hit his best form.
Dallas have a 14-10-1 ATS record for the season and are now ranked sixth on scoring offence, putting up 118.5 points per game on average, while on defence they are allowing 111.7 PPG (12th in the NBA).
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Team News
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Moses Moody was forced off the court in two consecutive games due to a knee injury before being left out against the Rockets on Thursday, and he is a major doubt for the upcoming match.
There is no new news on De'Anthony Melton, who will remain sidelined for the foreseeable future following ACL surgery, while Andrew Wiggins is still nursing an injured ankle and is listed as questionable.
For the Mavs, PJ Washington, who has been vital to the team's success since returning from a knee injury, missed the loss to the Thunder with an illness, and he is a doubt for this match.
Marshall shook off a knock to feature in the last match and should be available for the next, but Maxi Kleber and Jaden Hardy are likely ruled out owing to an illness and right ankle sprain respectively.
Golden State Warriors possible starting five:
Kuminga, Green, Payton II, Hield, Curry
Dallas Mavericks possible starting five:
Thompson, Marshall, Lively II, Doncic, Irving
We say: Golden State Warriors to win by 2+ points
While the Mavericks are the form side in this contest, the Warriors were a little unlucky not to get the win against the Rockets, and Curry and Green will be determined not to allow Thompson a winning return to Chase Center.
With two of the league's best offences on display, we are expecting a high-scoring encounter, but feel that the hosts will be able to edge the result in this one.
Devesh Jaganath
