Game Preview
The Dallas Mavericks are riding a four-game winning streak and looking to continue their hot stretch as they visit the Miami Heat on Sunday. The Mavericks have been one of the league's top offensive teams this season, averaging a shade under 117 points per game behind a blistering 48.4 percent shooting clip from the field.
Over their last five games, Dallas has been even more potent, pouring in nearly 120 points per contest on an impressive 49.5 percent shooting. They've been knocking down their threes at a 35.9 percent rate while also crashing the boards, grabbing almost 46 rebounds per game during this stretch. However, turnovers have been an issue, as they're coughing up the ball 14.2 times per game over their last five.
Defensively, the Mavericks have tightened things up lately, allowing just 107.6 points per game over their current win streak. They've been particularly stingy on the interior, swatting away 6.8 blocks per contest while forcing 9.4 steals per game.
The Miami Heat, meanwhile, have been inconsistent this season, hovering around a 46 percent win rate. They've found more success recently, though, going 3-2 over their last five games. While their offense has been steady, averaging 111.2 points on 44.8 percent shooting, the defense has been a strength, limiting opponents to 107.2 points per game.
The Heat have been particularly disruptive on that end, generating 11.6 steals and 3.2 blocks per game over their last five. However, they'll need to cut down on the turnovers after coughing it up 13 times per contest during that span. This matchup could come down to which team can better control the possession battle and make the most of their opportunities.