The Brooklyn Nets travel to Texas to face the Dallas Mavericks in a cross-conference battle on Thursday. Brooklyn (43-23) enters on a three-game losing streak and looking to right the ship. Dallas (37-28) has won four of the last five games, including a road win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday. James Harden (hamstring) is out for Brooklyn. Kristaps Porzingis (knee) and Maxi Kleber (Achilles) are out for Dallas.
Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET in Dallas. William Hill Sportsbook lists Brooklyn as a four-point road favorite, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 234 in the latest Nets vs. Mavericks odds. Before making any Mavericks vs. Nets picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned over $9,200 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past two-plus seasons. The model is up over $1,200 on its top-rated picks this season and entered Week 20 of the 2020-21 NBA schedule on a stunning 97-62 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread dating back to last season. Anybody who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Nets vs. Mavericks. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Mavericks vs. Nets:
- Nets vs. Mavericks spread: Nets -4
- Nets vs. Mavericks over-under: 234 points
- BKN: The Nets are 5-5 against the spread in the last 10 games
- DAL: The Mavericks are 5-5 against the spread in the last 10 games
Featured Game | Dallas Mavericks vs. Brooklyn Nets
Why the Nets can cover
The Nets dominate on the offensive end, scoring 117.1 points per 100 possessions in 2020-21. That is the top offensive rating in the NBA, and Brooklyn leads the league in field goal percentage. Brooklyn’s overall attack is dynamic, with the No. 2 mark in 2-point shooting (56.4 percent) and top-six marks in both 3-point shooting (38.9 percent) and free throw shooting (80.7 percent). Brooklyn is a top-eight club in assists, averaging 26.6 per game, and it takes care of the ball, committing a turnover on only 13.5 percent of offensive possessions.
Dallas doesn’t force turnovers very well, landing in the NBA’s bottom tier in havoc creation, and the Mavericks are a middling overall defensive team. The Nets have star power, shooting and balance offensively, making life difficult for the opposition. Brooklyn also does a good job in limiting opponent shooting efficiency, and Dallas is below-average on the offensive glass, grabbing only 25.0 percent of its own missed shots.
Why the Mavericks can cover
Dallas is an electric offensive team, and the Mavs are playing at their highest level right now. The Mavericks are a top-eight team in offensive rating (114.3 points per 100 possessions) for the season, but they jump into the top four when looking at the sample after the All-Star break. Dallas is scoring well over 1.16 points per possession since the hiatus, and it is a top-five team in overall shooting efficiency. The Mavericks take care of the ball at an elite level, committing a turnover on only 12.3 percent of possessions, and that helps to buoy their overall efficiency.
Dallas is also facing a Brooklyn team that struggles defensively. The Nets are just 25th in defensive rating, yielding more than 1.13 points per possession for the season. Brooklyn is also 28th in turnover creation, forcing a turnover on only 12.6 percent of defensive possessions. Dallas will have its hands full defensively, but the Mavericks are a top-10 team in field goal percentage allowed (46.0 percent) and a top-three team in the NBA at limiting assists (22.7 per game) for their opponents.
How to make Mavericks vs. Nets picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 241 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits almost 70 percent of the time. You can get that pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Mavericks vs. Nets? And which side of the spread hits almost 70 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that is on a roll on NBA picks.