The San Antonio Spurs are visiting American Airlines Center to continue their road trip against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday. With that said, it’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Spurs-Mavericks prediction and pick.
The Spurs have been struggling as of late, losing five straight games and eight of their last 10 outings. Gregg Popovich's squad has dropped to ninth, while the Mavs continue their chase for a guaranteed playoff spot with a 29-22 record.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening Spurs-Mavericks odds.
NBA Odds: Spurs-Mavericks Odds
San Antonio Spurs +6 (-106)
Dallas Mavericks -6 (-114)
Over 220.5 Points (-110)
Under 220.5 Points(-110)
Why The Spurs Could Cover The Spread
The Spurs are on a five-game losing streak, falling to the Denver Nuggets twice, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks.
Popovich's squad is very balanced with seven players averaging double-digit points. While this is great to have, it is also the reason that the Spurs have been struggling so much as of late.
This San Antonio team will need more from their two stars DeMar DeRozan and Dejounte Murray.
DeRozan has been averaging 20.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. Murray, on the other hand, has been putting up 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game while shooting 45.3 percent from the field. Popovich will need much more from his two stars every night.
Key role players for the Spurs–including Derrick White, Keldon Johnson and Jakob Poeltl–will also need to step up offensively for the 12th-worse offensive-rated Spurs to keep up with the 10th-best offense in the Mavs.
While the Spurs will need to see some efficient production from everyone on the team, the single most important key for them to cover the spread against the Mavs on Sunday will be to slow down Luka Doncic, who runs the entire offense for this Dallas team.
Why The Mavericks Could Cover The Spread
Kristaps Porzingis is finally back and healthy for the Mavs, helping the team go 1-1 in their last two matchups.
Porzingis is such a critical piece in the offense, as he is not only a big man that can post up and get his own shot but also someone who can spread the floor and shoot it from behind the 3-point line. He has been averaging 20.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while shooting a very efficient 47.7 percent from the field.
Alongside the most valuable player for the Mavs in Luka Doncic, the two make up a dynamic duo on the offensive end of the floor and is tough for any team to defend. So far this season, Luka has been averaging MVP-type numbers with 28.5 points, 8.2 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game while shooting 48.3percent from the field and 37.0 percent from behind the 3-point line.
While the two stars for Rick Carlisle has been fairly consistent on a nightly basis, the coach has not been able to find consistent production from one of the other stars or a player off the bench, which has been the downfall of the Mavs.
The Spurs are not the most talented offensive team, and so the main key for the Mavs to cover the spread will be for a key role player like Jalen Brunson, Josh Richardson or Tim Hardaway Jr. to have a big offensive night in addition to Luka and Porzingis.
Final Spurs-Mavericks Prediction & Pick
The Spurs have been in a funk, losing so many consecutive games. It does not help that they are facing a very talented offensive team in the Mavs.
The defensive rating for both teams is about equal, but the stark difference between the two teams is in their offensive rating–since the Mavs are in the Top 10 in the league while the Spurs are in the bottom half. For that reason and the deadly offensive combination of Luka and Porzingis, Dallas should pick up another W at home against San Antonio.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION & PICK FOR SPURS-MAVERICKS: SAS 96, DAL 108 (DAL -6)
Follow Us
Subscribe