NBA Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Dallas Mavericks

The Cleveland Cavaliers (29-4) look to add onto their winning streak as they face the Dallas Mavericks (20-14) on Friday, January 3 at 8:30 PM ET at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The Cavs are favored on the road with a -5.5 (-115 MYBOOKIE) point spread.

Cleveland Cavaliers Betting Preview

The Cavs have won their last eight games and bring a ton of confidence into this upcoming matchup. Their most recent success to look at was a 122-110 outing over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jarrett Allen contributed a season-high 27 points, while Donovan Mitchell was right behind him with 26. Their success was apparent on both ends of the floor, as the Cavs never lost a quarter to the Lakers.

They clicked on offense, with 48.4 percent shooting from the field and 39.1 percent from three. Defensively they allowed 44.2 percent shooting from the field, but held the Lakers‘ three-point production to be at just 25.7 percent.

The Cavs are the second-best team in the league for acquiring 122.4 points a game. Their defense is also appealing in allowing 110.5 points from opposing teams each game, ranking 10th. This is a comfortable spread, which shows how successful they have been so far.

Dallas Mavericks Betting Preview

The Mavs have a three-game losing streak, with their latest defeat being a 110-99 performance against the Houston Rockets. All three of their recent losses have been on the road, so maybe a home game will give them some support. However, not having Luka Doncic will hurt their chances once again.

They had a solid opportunity to win this game, but a terrible second quarter of just 22 points (37 allowed) gave the Rockets the momentum they needed. Quentin Grimes led with 17 points, but with stars like Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, they have to put more responsibility on the offense.

Their offense performed better in field goal percentage at 53.3 percent and from deep at 39.3 percent. But, they had 20 turnovers and forced the Rockets to have 14.

The Mavs are eighth in the league at scoring 116.8 points a game. Their defense sits at 14th in allowing 111.4 points a game. This offense is sizably different without Doncic, so they will need to figure this out fast.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

MyBookie showcases appealing Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Dallas Mavericks betting odds, which currently have the Cavs as 5.5-point favorites. Market analysis suggests the Cavs have a 74.5 percent chance of winning.

It is hard to see the Mavs win consistently without Doncic, so the month of January could be a brutal test. As for this matchup, the Cavs are a more complete team and will likely cover the spread.

Final Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers -5.5 (-115)