On Friday night, the Dallas Mavericks will face off against the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Center in an NBA showdown. The Mavericks, holding a 38-42 record, sit 10th in the Western Conference, while the Raptors, at 30-50, rank 11th in the Eastern Conference. Here’s a look at what to expect from this game.
The Mavericks are gearing up for their debut in the play-in tournament, a first for the franchise. Trailing the Kings by one game with only two games remaining, their fate is no longer in their hands.
Dallas is coming off a 112-97 loss at home to the Lakers, where former Maverick Luka Doncic dominated with 45 points and six assists to secure the win for Los Angeles.
A defeat in this game would lock the Mavericks into 10th place, regardless of their final game’s result. They’ll be missing Kyrie Irving and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, with Jaden Hardy and Klay Thompson listed as questionable.
On the other side, the Toronto Raptors are out of the playoff race and playing with nothing to lose. This mindset has fueled their recent success, including a commanding 126-96 victory over the Hornets on Wednesday, part of a strong run with six wins in their last nine games.
The Toronto Raptors simply couldn’t master the art of tanking. Sure, they had more skill than some other teams chasing a high pick in the next NBA Draft, but the real issue was their chemistry. This group genuinely enjoys being on the court together and has fully embraced head coach Darko Rajakovic’s approach, especially when it comes to defense.
Since the All-Star break, Toronto has topped the league in defensive rating—a remarkable feat given the key players who’ve been sidelined or shuffled through the lineup in the season’s second half.
That defensive grit and hustle have turned the Raptors into a solid betting pick. With a 48-31-1 record against the spread, only the Oklahoma City Thunder have outperformed them this season.
On the other hand, the Dallas Mavericks have secured a Play-In berth in the West, likely landing as the 10-seed with a trip to Sacramento on the horizon. But they’re reeling from a massive emotional low after Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas on Wednesday, where they fell 112-97.
That defeat marked their third straight loss, and they’ve gone 0-5 against the spread in their last five games. Since the All-Star break, Dallas has struggled offensively, sitting at 24th in offensive rating, and their injury report raises some eyebrows heading into tonight.
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