Mavericks Slight Favorite To Send Trail Blazers Reeling To Another Defeat

The Dallas Mavericks will try to get another win when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday, Jan. 15.
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KEY POINTS

The Portland Trail Blazers will try to end their five-game losing spell when they host the Dallas Mavericks Sunday
Luka Doncic is expected to spearhead the Mavericks’ offense anew as they aim for back-to-back wins
The Trail Blazers will be looking to even their regular season series with the Mavericks

The Portland Trail Blazers hope to put an end to their losing spell, and they will get that chance Sunday when they host the Dallas Mavericks at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon.

The weekend matchup will be Portland’s second consecutive night hosting a visiting NBA team.

In their last matchup, the Trail Blazers lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 113-119, after allowing the Cavs to rally in the fourth quarter.

Damian Lillard exploded for a season-high 50 points along with three assists in that matchup. Jerami Grant contributed 22 points, while Anfernee Simons finished with 15 markers.

“We played hard,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said, according to ESPN. “We didn’t get into the slump that we are in in one game, and we’re not going to get out of it in one game. I think we’re getting close. I’m proud of our effort.”

The Blazers are 13th in the league in terms of offensive rating with 113.2. However, they need to do a better job defending – especially against a team that has Luka Doncic in tow. They own a defensive rating of 113.3, which is 20th in the league.

On the other end, the Mavericks will be looking to follow up their double overtime win Thursday night over the Los Angeles Lakers, a game that was not spared from criticism.

Doncic made the big plays down the stretch once more, including a game-tying three-pointer in regulation and another in the first overtime.

“I was a little bit surprised (because) I thought they were going to foul, honestly,” Doncic said, according to ESPN. “I tried to get it up before they fouled.”

The Slovenian guard finished with a triple-double of 35 points, 14 rebounds and 13 rebounds in that win. Christian Wood added 24 markers, 14 caroms and six dimes in that victory.

The Mavericks are eighth in the league offensively, owning a 114.3 offensive rating. On the defensive side, Dallas has a rating of 113.4, which is 21st in the league.

The Trail Blazers are -1.5 spread favorites over the Mavericks, which are at +1.5. The moneyline set for this matchup is +105 for Dallas and +100 for Portland.

The Trail Blazers brace for a tight game at the Moda Center when they face the Mavericks. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. EST. The game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Southwest Plus, with live streaming available via FuboTV.