The Mavericks are coming into this game with a 16-8 record this season and they have been playing very well in their recent games. They have won their last 7 straight games and have been beating up on a lot of weaker teams in that span, but they have some quality wins as well like their win against the Knicks and their win against the Grizzlies in their last group stage game. The Mavericks have been taking this competition very seriously as well, losing their 1st game in the group stage to the Warriors by 3 points but winning their last 3 straight games with home wins against the Pelicans and Grizzlies as well as a road win against the Nuggets. They have also won their last 5 straight games on the road with 3 of those wins coming by 10+ points. They are going up against a Thunder team that is 18-5 this season and they have been playing very well recently as they currently lead the Western Conference. They have won their last 3 straight games, but they have also been beating up on weaker opponents recently with wins coming against the Jazz, the Raptors, and the Pelicans. Their last loss actually came against the Rockets who are currently sitting in 3rd in the Western Conference and they are 9-2 at home this season, but their 2 losses there came against stronger opponents in the Warriors and the Mavericks. The Mavericks won the only meeting with the Thunder this season and it was in Oklahoma, beating them by 2 points, and they were missing Doncic in that game as well. The Mavericks also beat the Thunder in the playoffs last season, winning the series 4-2, and they have won their last 3 straight games in Oklahoma as well. The Thunder also won the 1st game of that series in a blowout, but they have lost 5 of the last 6 games against the Mavericks now and their only win in that span was by 4 points. The Mavericks are going to get up for this game in the NBA Cup and the Thunder have not been able to figure this team out recently even when they are banged up. The Mavericks will cover the spread in this game.