Dallas @ Houston picks

Among all players in the NBA, Dwight Powell ranks in the 18th percentile for playing time, registering a measly 9.9 minutes per game on the road this year. The Mavericks are expected to experience a decrease in opportunities today from competing against the 5th-least up-tempo pace-of-play home offense in the league over the last 5 games (the Rockets). The Dallas Mavericks check in as the worst offensive rebounding offense in the NBA over the last 15 games (offensive rebounds maintain possession, and a lack of them can therefore lead to fewer chances for scoring and assists). Dwight Powell will not have the home court advantage in this game. Playing on the road generally lowers player performance across the board.

Naji Marshall has converted just 25.4% of his attempts from downtown this year, a sizeable decrease from his 43.2 rate last year. This year when they are the visiting team, the opposing team's starting SFs have shot 26.1% on 3-pointers (2nd-lowest in the NBA) vs. the Rockets, creating a hard matchup. The Mavericks are expected to experience a decrease in opportunities today from competing against the 5th-least up-tempo pace-of-play home offense in the league over the last 5 games (the Rockets). The Dallas Mavericks check in as the worst offensive rebounding offense in the NBA over the last 15 games (offensive rebounds maintain possession, and a lack of them can therefore lead to fewer chances for scoring and assists). Naji Marshall will not hold the home court advantage in this game. Playing away from your home court generally worsens player production in all stat categories.

Among all players in the NBA, Dwight Powell ranks in the 18th percentile for playing time, registering a measly 9.9 minutes per game on the road this year. The Mavericks are expected to experience a decrease in opportunities today from competing against the 5th-least up-tempo pace-of-play home offense in the league over the last 5 games (the Rockets). The Dallas Mavericks check in as the worst offensive rebounding offense in the NBA over the last 15 games (offensive rebounds maintain possession, and a lack of them can therefore lead to fewer chances for scoring and assists). Dwight Powell will not have the home court advantage in this game. Playing on the road generally lowers player performance across the board.

Fred VanVleet has attempted 8.4 3-point shots per game over the last 5 games with the home court advantage, 1.3 more than he's attempted in all games this year at home. Fred VanVleet has played 34.1 minutes per game playing at home this year, placing him in the 92nd percentile -- putting him among the most-utilized players in the NBA. The matchup vs. Dallas is a favorable one for three-point shots; when the Dallas Mavericks are on the road, the opposition's starting PGs have averaged the 9th-most shots from downtown per game in the NBA this year (2.4). The Houston Rockets are expected to get a boost in possessions today from competing against the 5th-speediest pace-of-play road team in the league over the last 25 games (the Mavericks). Offensive rebounds continue possession and produce more opportunities for scoring and assists, and the Rockets rank best in in the league with 14.7 offensive boards per game this year.

Among all players in the NBA, Dwight Powell ranks in the 18th percentile for playing time, registering a measly 9.9 minutes per game on the road this year. The matchup vs. Alperen Sengun is a difficult one for shot attempts from the field; when guarding fellow starting Cs this year, they have attempted a mere 8.2 field goals per game (3rd percentile). The Mavericks are expected to experience a decrease in opportunities today from competing against the 5th-least up-tempo pace-of-play home offense in the league over the last 5 games (the Rockets). The Dallas Mavericks check in as the worst offensive rebounding offense in the NBA over the last 15 games (offensive rebounds maintain possession, and a lack of them can therefore lead to fewer chances for scoring and assists). Relative to last season's 71.9% clip, Dwight Powell's free-throw performance has diminished this season to 60.6%.

Fred VanVleet has played 34.1 minutes per game playing at home this year, placing him in the 92nd percentile -- putting him among the most-utilized players in the NBA. The Houston Rockets are expected to get a boost in possessions today from competing against the 5th-speediest pace-of-play road team in the league over the last 25 games (the Mavericks). Offensive rebounds continue possession and produce more opportunities for scoring and assists, and the Rockets rank best in in the league with 14.7 offensive boards per game this year. Fred VanVleet will hold the home court advantage in this matchup. Playing in your home stadium tends to improve player performance in all facets of the game.