The Dallas Mavericks head out to Milwaukee to face off against the Bucks on Sunday. Dallas is fresh off of an uncharacteristic loss to the Washington Wizards a few nights ago. They lost to the Wizards, 135-103, after a horrible defensive night.
Was this just a strange anomaly for the Dallas Mavericks? We’ll find out as they face one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Milwaukee Bucks are coming off of a loss as well. However, the reason why each of these teams has lost recent games is that they’re beginning to rest players. It makes sense, too, because the NBA playoffs are almost here.
Milwaukee lost 153-119 to the Los Angeles Clippers; tonight, they’ll face the Dallas Mavericks. With key players being rested, who’s the best bet?
Game Preview: Dallas Mavericks at Milwaukee Bucks
The Mavericks have one of the best defenses in the NBA, but that all changes now. While they prepare for the playoffs, a few of their best players will be sidelined. This means that they might not have the same defense that only allows 104.67 points per game.
The good news is they won’t have to worry about Giannis Antetokounmppo. Still, it’s going to be a tough game tonight.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ defense caved against the Los Angeles Clippers, allowing 153 points. After watching that, we feel the Mavericks actually come in with an advantage here.
Something to note is that even when Dallas plays all of their starters, they only average 107.06 ppg. Offensively, the Bucks have the upper hand, but this game depends on who’s being rested.
Against the Spread: Dallas Mavericks +5
Although each team is coming off terrible losses, we definitely like the Mavericks in this game. Dallas has the better defense and didn’t give up 153 points.
We don’t necessarily think that they’ll win the game, but they should be able to cover. This season, the Dallas Mavericks are 44-33-1 against the spread. Look for them to keep the game close and cover on Sunday.
The Total: OVER 228
This is a slightly riskier bet, but each of these teams gave up over 130 points. It might seem like a long shot, but we think it could happen again tonight. You have to remember, with key players being rested, the defense won’t be as good.
Dallas still has an average defense, but they allowed the Wizards to score 135 points. Taking the over in this game seems like the better bet.
Win Margin: Milwaukee Bucks 1-10 (+170)
We think that throwing this onto your ticket will definitely boost your winnings. We’ve already noted that we believe the Bucks could win this game, but only by a narrow margin.
By adding this to your ticket, you’ll boost your winnings on this Sunday morning game. The last time the Bucks played the Mavericks was in December of 2021; Milwaukee won the game 102-95.
Player Points: Jalen Brunson OVER 15.5
Brunson came up as a prominent figure in the Mavericks game against the Wizards. He scored 21 points and went four for nine from the three-point line.
The Mavericks didn’t rest Luka Doncic in the game against the Wizards, but they could in this one. Because of this, we think Brunson will have another strong game, so add this to your single-game parlay.