Mavs vs Spurs NBA Handicapping
For the Dallas Mavericks, it’s time to start grinding.
It’s been two months since Dirk Nowitzki underwent knee surgery, and while he is expected back shortly after Christmas, the team knows that his return to the lineup means only that his training camp will start.
Dallas Mavericks (12-15) at San Antonio Spurs (20-8)
Sunday, Dec. 23
AT&T Center, San Antonio
7 p.m. EST
Spread – Spurs -11 at Bovada
O/U – 203.5
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The Mavs are talking about bringing him off the bench for awhile until his legs get under him.
But that’s then and this is now, and coach Rick Carlisle more than has his hands full keeping the Mavs from falling through the floor in the Southwest Division. Dallas heads into tonight’s game at San Antonio with five losses in his last six games and 10 defeats in the last 16.
All the smiles and chest bumps produced by the team’s good November start are growing smaller and smaller in the rear view mirror.
Weaknesses are exploited mercilessly in the NBA, and the Mavs’ deficiencies were on full display in Friday night when they lost to the Grizzlies in Memphis, 92-82. Dallas turned the ball over 24 times in the game.
They were shaky offensively at the start of the game, scoring only 16 points in the first quarter when things was pretty much decided. Then, as if to prove that was no fluke, they repeated that 12-minute segment with 18 points in the third period.[ad-6571516]
Derek Fisher was brought on board to stabilize the backcourt, but he has asked for and been granted his release after suffering a knee injury. Fisher was never the complete answer at the point, but he gave them rotation minutes.
Of more concern now is a strained groin that Elton Brand is dealing with. Brand has missed two games, and Carlisle must be wondering if he’ll ever get Brand and Nowitzki on the court together.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, meanwhile, loves to rest his players, but with his team getting two days off for the holiday break after the Mavs game, he can afford to let his big guns – Tim Duncan, Tony Parker — play their full rotation minutes tonight.
San Antonio has been dealing with some issues of its own. A three-game losing streak was put to rest on Friday night when the Spurs had to huff and puff a bit before dealing the punching-bag Hornets their 10th straight defeat, so Pops will be looking for a ore-complete game tonight.
THE PICK – It’s doubtful that Carlisle will want to run with the Spurs in this one, and if the Mavs can slow things down it helps the chances of a cover. A better bet would be on the under.
It’s hard to see Dallas getting anywhere near 100 in this game, especially the way the Mavericks are having trouble running what’s left of their offense.
