Which 24 players will make the 2025 NBA All-Star Game next month in San Francisco? Here's our roster prediction.

As the press conference room was filled to the brim, more reporters populated the space than chairs available. Such a site is usually reserved for the playoffs — not a January regular-season outing. Such comes with the territory of the Oklahoma City Thunder's 134-114 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Dallas Mavericks went toe to toe on Friday in the American Airlines Center and once again proved that these two teams have no love lost between them - They are the next great NBA rivalry.

It’ll be interesting to see which identity is able to better sustain success once the postseason is here. Throw in the possibility of a rematch in the NBA Finals, and how either team adjusts away from its identity could be the difference between winning it all or being disappointed by season’s end.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made his latest statement in an MVP-worthy season with another 40-point performance Thursday night

The first meeting between these teams was about the Cavaliers offense. The rematch was about the Thunder defense.

Get the latest Thunder vs. Mavericks predictions ahead of Friday's Western Conference clash. Free NBA picks for January 17.

The Thunder own the NBA’s best record against the spread (ATS) at 27-9-3. A cover percentage of .750 is absurdly high. By comparison, the single-season top mark over the past decade is the Memphis Grizzlies at .628 in the 2021-22 season.