Pacers vs Mavericks: How to Watch, Predictions, Biggest Keys to Victory

Ricardo Klein | Nov 4, 2024

Nov 1, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Details view of the Indiana Pacers logo against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers will travel to Dallas to take on the Mavericks for their seventh game of the regular season. The Pacers, who sit with a 2-4 record thus far in the season, will take on the Mavericks, who sit with a 4-2 record thus far.

The Mavericks are loaded with talent and are coming off an NBA Finals appearance. Dallas is led by arguably the best current backcourt in the league: Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. It will be no easy task for the Pacers, as they will have their hands full on Monday.

The odds are certainly not in the Pacers' favor for their matchup. They are underdogs with a +4.5 spread, the over/under set at 237.5, and the Pacers money line at +165.

The game will be televised on the NBA League Pass, but locals can watch it on FanDuel Sports Network. Chris Denari will provide play-by-play commentary, and Quinn Buckner will serve as analyst. Jeremiah Johnson will also be on the telecast, as will the sideline reporter and host.

Those who prefer the radio can listen to it on 93.5/107.5 The Fan. Mark Boyle will provide play-by-play commentary, Eddie Gill will serve as analyst, and Pat Boylan will be the studio host.

The Pacers played the Mavericks twice in their annual inter-conference matchups last season, and Indiana defeated them both times. Their best victory from the two came on March 5, 2024, when the Pacers were firing on all cylinders.

Nine Pacers players scored in double figures, and the team shot close to 54 percent from the field and went 18-for-39 (46.2 percent) from 3-point range, scoring 31 or more points in all four quarters.

The Pacers dominated that game, with the final score being 137-120. Indiana was four wins away from facing the Mavericks in the NBA Finals, but they fell short to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Before their sweep last season, the last time the Pacers swept Dallas in a season series was in the 2015-16 campaign.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is the all-time leader in NBA coaching wins for both the Pacers and the Mavericks organizations. Carlisle has won 290 career games in Indiana (2003-07, 2021-present) and amassed 555 victories in Dallas (2008-21).

The Pacers are not off to a hot start this season, and the Mavericks are. Because of that, I got the Mavericks over the Pacers.

Mavericks 123, Pacers 110.

More Pacers: Former Pacers Guard Announces Retirement After 14-Year Career