The NBA week starts with an excellent matchup on Monday between the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets. The Western Conference rivals are tied for third in the playoff standings. The teams feature plenty of star power, with MVP candidates on both.
We have live odds, team news, player props, and a betting prediction for Mavericks vs. Nuggets on NBA TV tonight.
The Mavericks are 14-11 against the spread this season and have been even better in recent weeks. Dallas has covered the spread in five of its last six and is playing its best basketball of the season. The offense has driven the Mavs, as they have hit the OVER on total points in each of those five ATS wins.
Denver is just 11-16 ATS this season. Like the Mavericks, though, the Nuggets are playing some of their best basketball over the last several games. Denver has covered three of its last four against the spread.
Live odds for Mavericks vs. Nuggets
Check out Mavericks vs. Nuggets live odds for the spread, moneyline, and total points available at the best online sportsbooks.
Mavericks vs. Nuggets injury report
It is important to watch injuries in this contest, as both teams have several starters and role players listed as game-time decisions.
Dallas Mavericks betting news
Even with Kyrie Irving missing the last several games, the Mavericks are playing some of their best basketball of the season. Dallas has won five out of six games, and Luka Doncic has been playing at an MVP level. Doncic is second in scoring in the NBA this season (32.7 PPG) while also averaging 8.3 rebounds and 9.1 assists per game.
Doncic, over the last six, has been at his best, scoring no fewer than 32 points and registering double-digit assists in five of six. He has also tallied two triple-doubles in the last six games. Doncic has not had to do it entirely by himself, though, as he has got significant contributions from Tim Hardaway Jr. and rookie center Derek Lively II.
Hardaway Jr. is averaging well over his career scoring average (14.1 PPG) and is averaging the second-most points of any season in his career at 17.7 PPG. He has been efficient in doing so, shooting 37.3% from three while averaging 3.5 makes per game.
Lively II has surpassed expectations, earning a starting role, and is second on the team in rebounding (7.7 RPG), behind Doncic. He has been scoring efficiently, averaging 8.9 PPG while shooting an NBA-leading 73.4% from the field. He does not need the offense to run for him but is filling a valuable role by scoring off lobs and offensive rebound putbacks.
Denver Nuggets betting news
The Nuggets have looked every bit of the NBA defending champs, and while they are not at the top of the Western Conference, they have been excellent when their full rotation has been available. One thing that has kept the Nuggets from being at the top of the West is that several key players have missed time.
Jamal Murray has played in only 13 games, Aaron Gordon has missed four, and Kentavious Caldwell Pope has missed two. In the 13 games Murray has played, the Nuggets are 9-4 (69% win percentage); without him, Denver is 8-6 (57%). They have won three of their last four, and if they get Murray back tonight (GTD), it will push the odds toward the Nuggets’ favor.
Even without some of their key players at times this season, the consistency for the Nuggets has come from their MVP center Nikola Jokic. The two-time MVP is only 0.1 off his career-high point average, scoring 27 a game and grabbing 12.4 rebounds a night with 9.5 assists. Jokic has only missed one game this season, and in his 26 games, he has ten triple-doubles, twice as many as the next closest player, Luka Doncic, who has five.
Jokic has gotten a lot of help from Michael Porter Jr., who is scoring over his career average (15.4 PPG) at 16.8 PPG and is averaging a career-high in rebounds with eight per game. The Nuggets are one of the better NBA three-point shooting teams, with five players in the regular rotation shooting 38.5% or better from long range.
It will be interesting to see how Dallas tries to defend the Nuggets, as the Mavericks do not have a great matchup for Jokic. If they try to give Lively II help and double down, don't be shocked to see Jokic dish assists well into the double-figures.
How they stack up: NBA Finals odds | NBA MVP odds
Mavericks vs. Nuggets player props
Caesars Sportsbook has a healthy menu of player props for bettors to consider ahead of Mavericks vs. Spurs on NBA TV. Here's a sampling:
Luka Doncic prop bets
- 34.5 points OVER (-125) / UNDER (-109)
- 9.5 rebounds OVER (-135) / UNDER (-101)
- 9.5 assists OVER (-145) / UNDER (+106)
- 3.5 threes made OVER (-115) / UNDER (-119)
Nikola Jokic prop bets
- 27.5 points OVER (-108) / UNDER (-127)
- 12.5 rebounds OVER (-129) / UNDER (-106)
- 10.5 assists OVER (+106) / UNDER (-145)
Jamal Murray prop bets
- 19.5 points OVER (-123) / UNDER (-111)
- 3.5 rebounds OVER (-106) / UNDER (-129)
- 5.5 assists OVER (-139) / UNDER (+102)
- 2.5 threes made OVER (-119) / UNDER (-115)
Mavericks vs. Nuggets betting prediction: Denver defends home floor
Each team is dealing with some injuries and game-time decisions; regardless, we know Kyrie Irving is out for Dallas tonight, and even if Murray is not back for Denver, the Nuggets have the advantage in this contest. Especially with no good matchups defensively for Dallas to put on Nikola Jokic, this game is Denver's to lose.
Pick: Nuggets
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