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Get ready for an entertaining evening this Saturday as the Dallas Mavericks host the Orlando Magic in the NBA. Both sides are coming in hot with brilliant performances from their leading stars.
Luka Doncic has been tearing through the competition by putting on a scoring exhibition that has captivated the NBA universe. The Mavericks have won three of their last four games, with the one loss coming when Luka was on the sidelines.
Doncic has been on the rise since the Dallas Mavericks played Miami on the 2nd of this month, where he dropped 27 points in 36 minutes. He followed it up with a 33-point performance against the Houston Rockets on Tuesday. The Slovenian is coming off his best game this season with 38 points against the Denver Nuggets in a thrilling overtime game decision.
He will lead the Dallas Mavericks this Saturday as they battle it out with a red hot Orlando Magic lineup with the home court advantage.
Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic have dazzled their fans with a great start to their new campaign. The Magic have the fourth-best record in the East with six wins and three losses. Nikola Vucevic has been leading their side, averaging a double-double that includes a 20-point average for the season. He will be ready to take on Luka and co. in one of the most exciting games of the weekend.
Match Details
Fixture: Orlando Magic vs Dallas Mavericks - NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Saturday, January 9th, 2021 8:30 PM ET. (Sunday 7:00 AM IST)
Venue: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Orlando Magic Preview
The Orlando Magic have surprised everyone with their start to the new campaign. They have won six of nine games and are vying for the top position in the Eastern Conference table. That said, they will need to win consistently to keep their postseason dreams alive.
The driving force behind their success so far has been their stellar defense. The Magic have been cleaning up the boards with an all-out team effort.
On offense, the Magic have five players scoring in double digits in nine games thus far. While these numbers will fluctuate as the season unfolds, it remains a positive sign for the young team.
Key Player - Nikola Vucevic
Nikola Vucevic is having an All-Star caliber season and has helped his team on both ends of the hardwood.
In their last outing, which resulted in a loss to the Houston Rockets, Vucevic still managed to register 22 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists in 30 minutes. He will be the key player coming into Saturday's matchup with the Dallas Mavericks.
Vucevic has a season average of 21.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in nine games. He is shooting the ball well, with 49% accuracy from the field and 44% from beyond the arc.
Orlando Magic Predicted Lineup
G Cole Anthony, G Dwayne Bacon, F Gary Clark, F Aaron Gordon, C Nikola Vucevic
Dallas Mavericks Preview
With Kristaps Porzingis sitting out due to an injury, the Dallas Mavericks had to answer the burning question of who would step up to help out Luka Doncic. Well, it turns out that Luka Doncic has decided to do it all himself by filling up the stat sheet with some monster performances so far.
However, it would be unfair to say he hasn't had help from the rest of the team. The Mavericks have seen good production from Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Richardson, and Jalen Brunson, all of whom are scoring in double digits for Dallas.
But Luka has been the difference-maker this season and continues to lead his side to victory. The Dallas Mavericks are primed to become one of the best franchises in the West as their star duo continues to develop.
Key Player - Luka Doncic
The young star has been touted as the league's next MVP candidate and is performing at a high level to match those expectations. Luka Doncic will be the key player in this matchup as he strives to take the Dallas Mavericks to another resounding win that could tie them for the fourth-best record in the highly competitive Western Conference.
Luka is averaging an impressive 27.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 8.0 assists in seven games this season. He is shooting 46% from the floor and 77% from the free-throw line. A point guard averaging nine boards tells you all you need to know about this young talent's future in the NBA.
Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup
PG Luka Doncic, G Josh Richardson, F Tim Hardaway Jr., F Dorian Finney-Smith, C Dwight Powell
Magic vs Mavericks Match Prediction
Both teams are on top of their game and will battle hard for the win in this matchup. The Orlando Magic are coming off a heavy loss and will be determined to bounce back with a win.
The Mavericks, on the other hand, are the team to watch out for right now as their star, Luka Doncic, is destroying oppositions with his all-around game.
The Dallas Mavericks are the favorites to win this, and Luka looks poised for another big game night performance.
Where to watch Magic vs Mavericks?
Local coverage of the game will be available on Fox Sports Southwest and Fox Sports Florida. The game can also be live-streamed via the NBA League Pass.
