Chicago Bulls vs. Dallas Mavericks Pick & Prediction NOVEMBER 6th 2024
Preview and Prediction
The Dallas Mavericks will be focusing on a stronger beginning as they prepare to face the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday evening. In their first seven games of the season, the Mavericks have found themselves trailing after the first quarter in five of those games. This was evident in their most recent game against the Indiana Pacers, where they were down 15-2 in just over three and a half minutes. Unfortunately, this slow start led to a 134-127 loss for the Mavericks.
According to Dallas coach Jason Kidd, this has been a recurring issue for the team. He believes that they need to improve their ball movement, involve all players, and increase their energy levels to avoid these slow starts. In their game against Indiana, Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 34 points, seven rebounds, and 15 assists, while Kyrie Irving and Naji Marshall also contributed with 27 and 20 points respectively. However, the team was missing center Dereck Lively II due to a sprained shoulder, and his availability for the upcoming game against Chicago is uncertain.
Kidd stated that Lively's injury occurred during warm-ups, and if he is unable to play, Marshall may once again take on the role of leading the second unit. Marshall, who had a strong performance against Indiana, expressed his comfort and energy on the court, thanks to his teammates' support.
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The Bulls, who have lost two of their last three games, have also been dealing with injuries. Lonzo Ball has been out since October 28 due to a sprained wrist, and Zach LaVine, a two-time All-Star, was absent from their game against the Utah Jazz on Monday due to an adductor injury. LaVine's availability for the game against Dallas is uncertain.
After their loss to the Jazz, Bulls center Nikola Vucevic expressed his disappointment in the team's defense, which has been a major factor in their recent losses. He believes that the team needs to improve defensively to have a chance at winning games. In their game against Utah, Vucevic contributed 23 points and 10 rebounds, while Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu added 28 and 25 points respectively.
Bulls coach Billy Donovan praised Vucevic's performance on both ends of the court and his leadership with the younger players. However, he also acknowledged the team's struggles on defense, as they are currently allowing the sixth-most points per game in the league. This could be a potential advantage for the Mavericks, who have struggled to score in their last two games.
Last season, the Mavericks swept the Bulls in their two meetings, and they will be looking to continue this trend on Wednesday.
Chicago Bulls vs. Dallas Mavericks Recap NOV 6TH 2024
Luka Doncic had 27 points and 13 assists to lead the host Dallas Mavericks past the cold-shooting Chicago Bulls 119-99 on Wednesday night.
The Mavericks feasted on poor Chicago transition defense, scoring 21 fastbreak points, and led by as many as 30.
The Bulls, playing without All-Star Zach LaVine (adductor strain), shot just 41.9 percent from the floor and were 12-of-42 (28.6 percent) from three-point range.
Chicago has lost three straight.
The first half was marked by a series of runs. It was the Bulls who started first, racing out to a 7-3 lead after a spin move and basket by Nikola Vucevic in the lane. Vucevic finished with a team-high 14 points in 25 minutes.
But the rest of the first quarter was dominated by the Mavs, specifically Kyrie Irving. The Mavs went on a game-changing 17-0 run and made eight straight shots during the quarter. Irving had 15 of his 17 points in the first as Dallas led 32-24 after 12 minutes.
Chicago went on a run in the second quarter with Josh Giddey making a 3-point to help pull the Bulls to 43-37 with six minutes left, but that was as close as they would come. Doncic sparked a 10-2 Dallas run with four free throws and a short jumper to push the lead back up to double digits. Dallas held a 56-45 lead at halftime.
Dallas went on a 13-0 run to open the second half, capped by a three by Klay Thompson to make it 69-45 with 8:46 left in the third. Thompson finished with 13 points and was 3-for-7 from beyond the arc.
Doncic went to the bench for good with 7:24 left and the Mavericks up 97-74.
The Mavericks played without center Dereck Lively for a second straight contest. He injured his shoulder in warmups before Monday's against Indiana. Foward P.J. Washington missed Wednesday's contest with a knee sprain.
Dallas lost another big man when Daniel Gafford took a knee to the thigh from Vucevic in the second quarter. He did not return.