76ers-Mavericks Preview: Philly Being Disrespected in Dallas
The Philadelphia 76ers head to Texas to take on the Dallas Mavericks in a game featuring the NBA’s top two scorers, Joel Embiid and Luka Doncic. Philly sits at 40-21, third in the Eastern Conference, and is right in the mix of upper-tier teams fighting to make the Finals, while Dallas sits just north of .500 at 32-31, searching for answers on how to get over the hump. 76ers @ Mavericks Game Information
- Location: American Airlines Center | Dallas, TX
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET | TV: TNT
Philly is on the back end of a brutal back-to-back coming off a dominant 23-point victory over the Miami Heat with Embiid sitting out. That’ll aid the big man’s ability tonight, but the rest of the lineup could be sluggish out of the gate, and slow starts have been a problem for Philly of late.
Dallas has only gone 1-4 in games when Kyrie Irving and Luka have been on the floor together, with the lone victory coming against the 15-win San Antonio Spurs. The chemistry looks off, and Kyrie appears to be trying to do too much. Their depth is scarce, with Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie proving invaluable in retrospect. Still, Maxi Kleber’s return this past Tuesday is crucial and will be needed down the stretch.
76ers @ Mavericks Game Odds on FanDuel- Spread: 76ers +4 (-108) | Mavericks -4 (-112)
- Moneyline: 76ers (+150) | Mavericks (-178)
- Total: OVER 228.5 (-110) | UNDER 228.5 (-110)
The Sixers aren’t in a great spot on the second night of a back-to-back, but they are the superior team that’s played much better basketball as of late. Embiid is well-rested, with no one in the league able to contain him. In games where the Sixers play on no rest, they’re 5-2-1 against the spread.
At the same time, the Mavericks have the second-lowest cover percentage at home at 34.5%. This line is giving Philly less respect while giving Dallas too much-undeserved credit while they still have plenty to prove. Take the points with the 76ers.
76ers @ Mavericks Prop Picks on FanDuel- Luka Doncic UNDER 32.5 Points (-115)
- Joel Embiid OVER N/A Points
- Tobias Harris OVER 14.5 Points (-104)
Doncic has gone under this number in three of five games he’s played with Irving and will have a difficult matchup against a Philly backcourt that surrenders the second-fewest points to opposing point guards. Luka will not have a bad game, but 32.5 is a high bar to reach.
The most well-rested Sixer tonight is Embiid, and even though the Mavs don’t allow many points to big men, the native of Cameroon isn’t just any big man. His line will be slightly deflated as he’s only gone over 30 points once in his last four games, but he’ll need to put the team on his back more than he usually does tonight. Target his OVER.
Tobias Harris has found a groove of late, going for 18-plus points in three of his last four. He’ll have an optimal matchup with Dallas allowing the most points to power forwards. We’ll bank on Harris edging over his total.
