Celtics vs Mavericks Prediction 7 February 2025

🔊 What will the match of last season's finalists bring? The NBA regular season will pit Boston against Dallas. The visitors are changing tactical priorities, which may cause significant problems for their attack. The reigning champions can adjust to the intention of Kidd's team to play at a slow pace and from defense. It is predicted that the team leaders will excel in scoring, but the defensive focus will determine the scenario of the clash at the "TD Garden".

📊 HEAD-TO-HEAD

The last match took place at the end of January. Boston secured an away victory with a score of 122:107. In the context of the last 10 head-to-head meetings, the Celtics have a colossal advantage (8:2).

🏀 BOSTON CELTICS

The "Celtics" approach the upcoming match not only rested but also without any personnel losses. Recently, they managed to outplay Cleveland (112:105). Before that, there were three more victories - over Philadelphia (118:110), New Orleans (118:116), and Chicago (122:100). We see that the team not only performs well in offense (117.2 on average) but also works effectively on their half. A multifunctional front line contributes to this - Porzingis and Horford possess not only size but also mobility. On the perimeter, there are always Holiday and White, capable of stealing from any opponent. However, achieving an average score will be more challenging than usual. The opponent has assembled a defensive lineup capable of troubling even the Celtics stars. Considering that the team only makes 45.8% of their shots (18th), it is difficult to expect another spectacle. Mazzulla might decide to play from defense.

🏀 DALLAS MAVERICKS

After losing Doncic, Dallas began experiencing problems with results: three consecutive defeats. The loss to Cleveland with a score of 101:144 was particularly painful. In the confrontation with Philadelphia 116:118, the offense felt much more comfortable, but the guests have a lot of work to do in building a new attacking model. With Doncic, the team scored 115.3 points per game (11th in the NBA). However, for now, the Mavs can rely on the genius of Kyrie Irving, who plays quite a few games with 30+ points scored. Anthony Davis can contribute in scoring, but he is more of a defensive player. Against Boston, his skills will be very useful - containing the Celtics' big men will be much easier. After Luka's trade, Jason Kidd noted that he could now build a true defensive team. We can see the beginnings of this. Good work on rebounds is expected (44.9, 10th) and a closed "paint" (5.9 blocks, 4th).

📝EDITORIAL PREDICTION

Bookmakers consider Boston favorites, and we can readily agree with this. On their home court, in an optimal lineup, the champions can defend quite effectively. Against Dallas's raw attacking model, the hosts can improve their conceded points statistic (108.4). Dallas, understanding their situation, is unlikely to strive to act from attack. In their lineup, except for Irving, all players are capable of defending very well. A low pace perfectly suits these skills. Overall, the meeting may turn out to be very interesting, especially if Davis immediately begins to prove his professional suitability. Our editorial team sees a bet on total under 227.5 points as a pretty good decision.