The Memphis Grizzlies will face the Dallas Mavericks on January 9 (Tuesday) at the American Airlines Center. The game will be televised on NBA TV as well as Bally Sports Southwest and Bally Sports Southeast. Ja Morant will be unavailable for the Grizzlies for the remaining season as he requires shoulder surgery after suffering an injury in practice against the LA Lakers on Saturday.
The Mavericks have won their last three games and have gone 6-4 in their last 10. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are finally sharing the court again, now that both are healthy. The Mavericks and Grizzlies have faced each other 83 times since 2014, with the Mavericks winning 53 times.
Preview
The Dallas Mavericks will have their two stars, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, for their showdown at home. They have a 118 offensive and 2.2 net rating, which is just below the top 10 in the league. With great play from Luka Doncic, the Mavericks will look to extend their three-game winning streak. On the other hand, the Grizzlies will need a complete team effort to cover Morant’s absence. Memphis has struggled a lot this season without him, going 6-19 before his return.
Starting lineup for both teams
For the Mavericks, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving will start in the back as Point guard and shooting guard. Josh Green will be in the shooting forward position. Derrick Jones Jr. will start as Point Forward, while Dwight Powell will start as the center. For the Grizzlies, Marcus Smart will start as Point guard in place of Ja Morant. Luke Kennard will be the shooting guard. Desmond Bane will be Shooting forward. Jaren Jackson will be the point forward, while Bismack Biyambo will be at the center.
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Prediction
The Mavericks are favorites to win this game, but they are 17-23 when playing as favorites and 8-10 when listed as -199 or better on the money line. Like their record without Ja Morant, the Grizzlies have a 7-16 record as underdogs for the money line. Therefore, the Mavericks are predicted to win the game.
