Xam’s Daily Gems:
Mavericks Money Line -125
The Mavericks are scratching and clawing, trying to maintain their position and get out of the Play-In Tournament. Luka Doncic is having another great season, but injuries and inconsistency has plagued the rest of the team. Their biggest issue has been on defense this year, as they’re giving up 118 points per game. They should be fully rested for this game though, given that they’ve only played one game since January 31st. Meanwhile, the 76ers have been in disarray since Joel Embiid went down. They just got blasted by the Nets at home and were particularly bad on defense, giving up 136 points. It’s also their 3rd game in 5 days, so there may be tired legs out there tonight. The key for tonight, as is always the case with the Mavericks, is their defense. If they can contain Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris, their offense should be able to do the rest. This is a game the Mavericks need, as they are only 2 games up on the 10th seed in the Western Conference. The Mavericks are healthier, more rested, and should be hungrier to win this game.
Warriors Money Line +108
The Warriors have plenty of work to do to get back into the playoff race, but there are some signs of life. Klay Thompson and Jonathan Kuminga are playing better, and the defense has slightly improved recently. The Nets are in a similar fade as trade rumors have swirled recently. The Warriors are scoring a whopping 119 points this year, and they shouldn’t have issues scoring in droves tonight. The key will be the level of defense they bring to the table. Mikal Bridges and Cam Thomas have been playing well offensively for the Nets. If Draymond Green can lead the defensive effort and slow them down, Curry and his friends should able to score against this porous Nets defense. If the Warriors are going to maker their move to get back into the playoff picture, they need to win games like this one tonight.
Clippers/Hawks Under 242 Points -110
The Clippers are on the 2nd night of a back-to-back and their 3rd game in 4 nights. The Hawks are also playing their 3rd game in 4 nights tonight. It’s always risky to bet on the Hawks to play some semblance of defense, but they will be playing against tired legs, and the Clippers are one of the best defensive teams in the league. The key here will be the defensive output from the Hawks. The Clippers are only giving up 111 points per game. However, if they’re on point against the Hawks, they can do some major damage. The Clippers may give some of their veterans a little time off tonight. Both teams will need to be hitting their shots at a constant pace for this number to hit. If we can get a little defense in this game, we should go under this number.
Luka Doncic Under 56.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists -135
The 76ers know what they’re doing when it comes to guarding point guards and shooting guards. Doncic also sees his stats go down when Kyrie Irving is on the floor, and especially so on the road. On the road this season, Doncic is averaging under 35 points, less than 9 rebounds, and just over 8 assists per game this year. The 76ers haven’t allowed a single point guard to go over 52 Points + Assists + Rebounds all year! Not having Embiid certainly hurts their defensive capabilities, but the 76ers will come into this game doing whatever they can to force someone else other than Luka to beat them. His usage has never been higher this year than it has been in the past 10 days, but he’s averaging less than 37 minutes per game on the road this year. If the 76ers can just limit his scoring ability a little bit, that’s all we need. He hasn’t played less than 42 minutes in any of his last 4 games, so he may be a little tired in this game as well.