Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks team is led by Europeans Luka Dončić and Kristaps Porzingis, who are the undisputed leaders of the club. On the other hand, the rest of the team is quite balanced, and for this reason, R. Carlisle has started the game with seven different starting lineups in 9 games played. Despite the fact that the Mavericks team is still looking for the most suitable rotation, it is currently one of the leaders of the Western Conference, winning 6 out of 9 games played.
Luka Dončić
The Slovenian, who won the Rookie of the Year title last year, started this season just wonderfully. In 9 games played, the 20-year-old averages 28.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 9.3 assists, and shoots 47.1% from the field. It's hard to believe that a European playing in the strongest league in the world for just the second season can demonstrate such a game, but it is not for nothing that many NBA experts and analysts consider Luka to be a TOP 10 NBA player and undoubtedly one of the best players in the league.
Probably the most memorable performance of Luka Dončić this season was against the Los Angeles Lakers led by LeBron James, when the Slovenian scored 31 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and made 15 assists. However, it was not enough for a victory, but Dončić's performance could not fail to impress.
Projected Starting Lineup
PG: Luka Dončić
SG: Seth Curry
SF: D. Finney-Smith
PF: Kristaps Porzingis
C: Dwight Powell
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Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are currently the “hottest” team in the league, with a 7-game winning streak that they will try to extend at home. The “Celts” will enter this game after a victory against the San Antonio Spurs, which they achieved by a 20-point margin while playing away. And indeed, although the offseason moves of the Boston team raised many questions for many, at least for now it seems that the departures of Al Horford and Kyrie Irving may benefit the team, so it will be very interesting to watch the progress of this team as the season progresses.
Probably the only bad thing from the last game is the injury of G. Hayward, who started the season excellently. After recovering from a severe leg fracture 2 years ago and starting the season well, Hayward broke his left hand and will likely miss 1 to 2 months of basketball. This is a painful blow to the team, but even without this loss, the Celtics have many players who can take the initiative, so it will be an opportunity for players who get less playing time to shine.
Kemba Walker
After 8 seasons spent in Charlotte, Kemba finally joined a team with which he can achieve something. During all the years spent in Charlotte, Kemba played in the playoffs only once, and for a player of his caliber, this is undoubtedly a poor achievement, and to earn a reputation in the league, it is important to start achieving more significant victories, and the Celtics team is perfectly suited for that.
Great hopes were placed on this player, and the 29-year-old Walker is at least so far living up to them excellently. Averaging 24.5 points, 5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists this season, the player has already become one of the Celtics' leaders, but he still has to prove that he is ready to lead this young and very talented team to victories.
Projected Starting Lineup
PG: Kemba Walker
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: G. Williams
C: E. Kanter
Prediction
The Celtics, both in terms of roster “on paper” and gameplay, seem to be a superior team compared to the Mavericks. Of course, it is difficult to predict how the team will react to the injury of one of the key players, G. Hayward, and how well the Mavericks will be able to take advantage of this loss. Kristaps Porzingis, who missed the previous game, is already registered and ready to play against the Celtics today. He, along with Luka, as probably for the rest of the season, will be the most important players in trying to surprise the “Celts” and break their winning streak.
On the other hand, the Celtics are one of the best defensive teams in the entire league, so just the performances of Dončić and Porzingis may not be enough to achieve a victory. The Celtics have many players who can take responsibility and pull the team forward at the right time, and they are also much better coordinated than the Mavericks, so it is hard to expect that the winning streak will end at home. The Boston team should win at home and do so by more than a 3-point margin.
