It’s always a treat to see Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic face off
The Dallas Mavericks travel to the Rockies to square off with the Denver Nuggets, which is our Mavs Moneyball betting game of the week. As a quick refresher for how this goes, David Trink and me, Tyler Edsel, will break down the Mavs’ best game of the week (nationally televised, best matchup, etc.). We’ll each give out four picks: a side, two player props and a wildcard pick and compete to see who can make the most fake money this year. Each pick will payout fake cash based off of a $100 bet.
Last week’s results
David: 1-3 (-$210)
Tyler: 0-4 (-$400)
Season to date: We are a hilarious 2-13-1 (-$660) to date. Nowhere to go but up!
Game Intangibles
Dallas Mavericks (5-4) vs Denver Nuggets (6-3)
Tipoff: 7:00p at Ball Arena in Denver
How to watch: KFAA Channel 29 or streaming on MavsTV
This is the first of two matchups this month between the Mavs and Nuggets, with the second being a NBA Cup game on November 22nd in Denver. The Nuggets come in as winners of 4 in a row and 6 of their last 7. Meanwhile, Dallas hits the road following a disappointing home stand, going 2-3 over the 5 games.
Odds
Spread: Denver -4 (-110)
Over/Under: 229.5 (-112/-108)
Moneyline: Dallas (+145)
David’s picks
Nikola Jokic over 27.5 points (-115)
Under 229.5 (-108)
Luka Doncic over 8.5 assists (+105)
Mavericks first to 10 points (+105)
The Mavericks’ center depth is thin, meaning it should be a good day at the office for Nikola Jokic. Both teams have played a lot of basketball in the last week, this game has the potential to be a rock fight. Luka’s assist number is too low for him against this Nuggets team, which he historically plays well against. The race to 10 is a bet on the Mavericks coming out hot after Jason Kidd’s fiery press conference Friday night.
Tyler’s picks
Naji Marshall over 7.5 rebounds + assists (-105)
Denver -4 (-110)
Nikola Jokic over 51.5 points + rebounds + assists (-110)
Christian Braun under 14.5 points (-125)
Naji had a zero assist game on Friday, but I still believe in his playmaking prowess. With Dallas being smaller, he’s relied upon to grab some rebounds, too. I hate to pick against Dallas, but they are beat up and I don’t like how they match up with Jokic. He’s going to put up one of those stat lines that are “first since Wilt” tonight. Lastly, Braun’s number is just too high, in my opinion.
Odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook & are subject to change