Game Time: 8:30 PM ET, Wednesday, November, 3rd, 2021 

Venue: AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas

Where to Watch:  NBA League Pass 

DraftKings:  Spread: Mavs -1:  O/U: 216.5

BetMGM:  Spread: Mavs -1:  O/U:  216

Spurs: 2-5 (Western Conference)

Mavericks: 4-2 (Western Conference)

The Mavericks have a top 5 NBA player in Luka Doncic.  Any matchup they walk into could be a win because of him… of course it helps to get steady regular production from the Unicorn and faded star Kristaps Porzingis.  So, after a rough start to the season that found Dal getting trounced by the Atlanta Hawks… They have gone 4 of 5 since (Mavs are down by 8 at halftime to the Miami Heat right now). 

The Spurs are having the actual rough start to the season… In fact the last few seasons have been rough.  SAS made a transition from perennial power to near the bottom of the rankings. The collapse began in 2018 when Superstar Kahwi Leonard wanted out and got a trade to the Toronto Raptors.  The four year span from then til now has been a slow motion collapse.

It’s always fun when any of the Three Texas Teams square off.  The Rockets aren’t as good as they used to be, nor the Spurs, maybe the Mavs… but all three Texas teams are relentless in the pursuit of a Championship, with different approaches,  and all three have gotten their time in the sun. (San Antonio spent the most time in the sun).

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RECENT FORM

The Mavericks have wins over Toronto, Houston, San Antonio (at American Airlines Center), and the Sacramento Kings.  They have lost to Atlanta and Denver.  The two losses were to teams with stars of equal or greater value to their teams as Luka… the four wins were to teams with no distinguishable star at all.  This is a pattern that should repeat all season long… or at least until the trade deadline.

The Spurs have beaten Orlando and Milwaukee.  They have lost the other 5 games.  They just aren’t very good this year.  Demar DeRozan is now in Chicago and he was the last of the name brand players in San Antonio.  The roster they have now is made up of extras from Central Casting.  No big names, no big games.  The Spurs know what is happening and for how long it has been happening and it looks like they may steer into the skid.  They have jettisoned most of the value from the team… and now are waiting to hit bottom in order to rebuild.  They are not TANKING.  Popovich has too much class.  They are simply putting out a team each night that isn’t as good as everyone else's. In a year or two they will have drafted at the top a couple of times and traded away these guards…. And they will rebuild with their new coach Becky. 

The San Antonio Spurs are 13th in the NBA in scoring.  They average 110 points per game.  It does them no good because they aren’t winning… San Antonio’s defense gives the points right back on the other end.  For the last few years the excuse was that the guards were too young, also the vets were too old etc.  That isn’t a problem anymore the vets are gone and Dejounte Murray and Derrick White can officially not use young as an excuse anymore.  The team is shooting 34.4% on 3-pointers and 46.9 FG%.  Popovich is the last holdout to not embrace the 3-point line; his teams are expected to move the ball and get quality shots.  This team needs a shakeup… Bryn Forbes and Lonnie Walker IV are quality (if a bit undersized) players that don’t get enough minutes.

The Mavericks are ranked 28th in the NBA on offense.  Luka Doncic seems to do all the scoring and the rest of the team pitches in to get to a low 98.3 ppg.  A sour almost pathetic 40.4 FG percentage.  They also have a wilted 69.8% from the free throw line.  Their new coach Jason Kidd used to be called Ason… because he had no J.  Does that apply to teams he coaches as well?  The reason they are winning is REBOUNDS… they get 10.7 offensive rebounds per game as part of their 46 rebounds per game.  Dwight Powell, Kristaps Porzigis (when he plays), and even their fearless leader Luka Doncic are fantastic at securing the rebound to ensure more shots for the terrible shooters.  

Our prediction for Monday, November, 1st is…  Mavs 108 - Spurs 102

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Dallas is 2-1 ATS versus San Antonio at San Antonio over the last 3 seasons

Dallas is 38-30 ATS versus San Antonio at San Antonio over the last 3 seasons.

Injury Report:

Spurs:  SF Doug McDermott (knee) Out indefinitely ** PF Zach Collins (ankle) Out indefinitely

Mavs: PF Kristaps Porzingis (back) Quest ** PF Maxi Kleber (oblique) Out ** PG Trey Burke (quarantine) Quest

Spurs starting lineup:  PG Dejounte Murray, SG Derrick White, SF Devin Vassell, PF Keldon Johnson, C Jakob Poeltl

Mavericks starting lineup: PG Luka Doncic, SG Tim Hardaway Jr, SF Reggie Bullock, PF Dorian Finney-Smith, C Dwight Powell

Spurs:

Points: Dejounte Murray 17.6

Rebounds: Jakob Poeltl 9.7

Assists: Dejounte Murray 8.4

Steals: Dejounte Murray 2

Blocks:  Jakob Poeltl

Mavs:

Points:  Luka Doncic 22.5

Rebounds: Luka Doncic 8.5

Assists: Luka Doncic 7.5

Steals: Tim Hardaway JR 1.3

Blocks: Maxi Kleber 1.2

Coaches:

Spurs:  Gregg Popovich

Mavs:  Jason Kidd

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