The Philadelphia 76ers head to Dallas to take on the Mavericks for the second and final time this season. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a 76ers-Mavericks prediction and pick.
Philadelphia is coming off a resounding 24-point victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Dallas is coming off a tough two-point loss against the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday. Philadelphia took the first matchup of this series in comfortable fashion. Let's see how this interconference battle shakes out.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening 76ers-Mavericks odds.
NBA Odds: 76ers-Mavericks Odds
Philadelphia 76ers -2.5 (-110)
Over 218 Points (-110)
Under 218 Points (-110)
Why The 76ers Could Cover The Spread
The Sixers have been mediocre at best over their last eight games, going 4-4 during that span. They have to be feeling good down the stretch with their big man Joel Embiid back on the court, though. It's clear that Philly has to start playing better basketball, especially against the better teams in the league. Their four wins of late have come against the Boston Celtics and three lottery teams. The losses, on the other hand, have come against upper-echelon teams such as the Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets, and Memphis Grizzlies. The Brooklyn Nets lost to the depleted Los Angeles Lakers recently, which was huge for this Sixers team that just routed the Thunder to maintain the top spot out East.
The win against Oklahoma City hopefully ignited a spark for Doc Rivers' bunch. Embiid led the way for his club, delivering 27 points, nine boards, four assists, and four steals. Furkan Korkmaz added 20 points of his own and three other Sixers were double-figure contributors in the win. Philadelphia will welcome Danny Green and Tobias Harris back to the court with open arms because they are two of the best perimeter scorers on this team. The game against Dallas is of utmost importance for Philadelphia with the Nets looming.
Why The Mavericks Could Cover The Spread
The Mavs are currently sitting in the seventh spot in the Western Conference and looking to climb in order to avoid the play-in tournament. They will hope to bounce back in this game after suffering a devastating two-point loss against the Spurs in crunch time. Kristaps Porzingis fouled out before DeMar Derozen hit the last shot to clinch the game for San Antonio.
Through the Mavs' last 12 games, they have won eight of them, but have lost all four games to teams currently under .500. The wins are extremely promising against teams like the Nuggets, Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers, Celtics, and Milwaukee Bucks. Dallas will have to find a second wind on the back end of a back-to-back. The Mavs are 4-6 in their last 10 games in this spot.
Dallas saw some promising contributions in the loss against San Antonio. Porzingis led the way with a huge double-double, registering 31 points and 15 rebounds. Luka Doncic continued his dominance with 29 points, while two other Mavs were in double figures. Dallas is hoping welcome JJ Redick to the floor for the first time as a Maverick.
Final 76ers-Mavericks Prediction & Pick
The Mavs are on the back end of a back-to-back, which hasn't been a favorable spot for this team in recent history. Dallas suffered a tough loss on Sunday and will almost certainly not play with the same level of energy as Philly. The Sixers are the better team in this matchup and are mostly healthy at this point. The ultimate deciding factor is on the defensive end, which gives Philly a rather sizable advantage.
FINAL PICK: Philadelphia 76ers -2.5 (-110)
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