The Dallas Mavericks, who lost to the Atlanta Hawks in their previous match, will look at bouncing back as they take on the  Toronto Raptors in Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, on Saturday. The Raptors, on the other hand, will be looking to build some momentum following an impressive 115-83 victory against the Boston Celtics in their last match.

Mavericks fans were intrigued to see how the team would perform on their opening night behind their new head coach Jason Kidd. Unfortunately, the team lost 113-87 to the Hawks. The latter managed to shoot 33.3% from the field as a team.

Also Read: NBA: Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers rally past Trae Young’s Atlanta Hawks

All eyes will be on Luka Doncic in the team’s second match. The player, with an offensive firepower, has the ability to take over a game at any moment during a match. Unfortunately, he had a poor shooting performance on opening night. Doncic will, however, be motivated to carry his team to a much-needed victory against the Raptors.

The Raptors too did not begin the season on a great note. The team lost the opening match at home to the Washington Wizards. The team, however, bounced back in a big way by winning over the Boston Celtics on the road. 

Also read: NBA: New York Knicks cruise past rebuilding Orlando Magic with 121-96 win

Scottie Barnes, who has been great so far this year, will be Toronto’s key player in the match against the Mavericks. When Barnes was picked in the 2021 NBA Draft, many thought he would take some time to find his groove. However, he surprised everyone by proving to be one of the most dominant players in the match against the Boston Celtics. He finished the night with 25 points, 13 rebounds and two assists.

Dallas Mavericks Predicted Lineup

G – Luka Doncic; G – Tim Hardaway Jr.; F – Dorian Finney-Smith; F – Kristaps Porzingis; C – Dwight Powell.

Toronto Raptors Predicted Lineup

G – Goran Dragic; G – Fred VanVleet; F – OG Anunoby; F – Scottie Barnes; C – Precious Achiuwa.