Betting stats NBA show Dallas accomplished its job with a six-point victory in Game 2. While the Mavericks didn’t protect home court with two victories, earning a split without star guard Luka Doncic was a victory in and of itself. Sports betting guides show the Mavericks had an 8-9 record without Doncic this season. Dallas may be getting some good news, as Doncic practiced Wednesday and has been upgraded to questionable for Thursday night’s game.
Utah has to be kicking itself for losing to the Mavericks without their star player. Heading back to Salt Lake City with a 2-0 lead would have put Utah in a commanding position. As it is, the Jazz still has a commanding advantage on the glass. If Utah can assert its dominance in the paint, the Jazz should be able to grab Game 3 at home. The Jazz were 29-12 at home this season.
Last Games Records
Dallas beat Utah 110-104 in Game 1 Monday in Dallas to tie the series at 1-1. The Mavericks were 52-30 in the regular season. The Jazz were 49-33.
Matchup Information
Mavericks at Jazz Betting Analysis
Dallas Betting Analysis
Ball security was what helped turned things around for the Mavericks. Dallas only committed three turnovers and was able to keep pace with Utah on the offensive end. The Mavericks knocked down 22 3-pointers against the Jazz, shooting at a 46.8 percent clip.
Guard Jalen Brunson led the Mavericks with a career-high 41 playoff points. Brunson also grabbed eight rebounds and handed out five assists. Maxi Kleber also scored 25 points, while Spencer Dinwiddie added 17. Dallas shot 47 percent (39-of-83) from the field as a team in Game 2.
The Mavericks were no slouches on the road this season. Dallas had a 23-18 record away from home.
Utah Betting Analysis
Glancing quickly at the Jazz’s box score from Game 2 would show many positives. For the second straight game, Utah pounded Dallas on the glass. The Jazz held a 50-31 edge in rebounding, including an 11-2 advantage in offensive rebounds.
Utah also outscored Dallas 50-28 in the paint. The Jazz was also able to get to the free-throw line 20 times, which was seven more than the Mavericks. Losing to Utah came down to the Jazz just shot at a much better clip.
Donovan Mitchell led Utah with 34 points and handed out five assists. Bojan Bogdanovic (25 points) and Jordan Clarkson (21) both scored more than 20 points for the Jazz. Rudy Gobert pulled down a game-high 17 rebounds for the Jazz.
Updates
Utah shooting guard Trent Forrest has been ruled out for Game 3 with a foot injury. Doncic is questionable with a calf injury.
- Utah is 34-47-3 against the spread.
- Dallas is 48-34-2 against the spread.
- The over is 38-44-2 in the Jazz’s games this season.
- The over is 32-50-2 in the Mavericks’ games this season.
- Dallas is 19-32-1 against the spread following a win.
- Utah is 16-17 against the spread following a loss.
Mavericks at Jazz Betting Preview
NBA betting picks have Utah as a 6.5-point home favorite. The Jazz are -275 on the moneyline, while the Mavericks are +215. For anyone looking to make a different kind of NBA picks, the over/under is set at 210.5.
Mavericks at Jazz Betting Prediction
This game, much like the other games in the series, will largely come down to Doncic’s injury status. If Dallas is once against missing its star point guard, it will be difficult for the Mavericks to duplicate their Game 2 success. Playing on the road will make things more difficult for Dallas, which knocked down 22 3-pointers and will find it difficult to recreate that level of success away from home.
Utah’s commanding advantage on the glass won’t be something the Jazz will have to worry about replicating. With Gobert patrolling the paint, and Utah’s team philosophy, the Jazz will likely be able to easily outrebound Dallas. The question for Utah will be can the Jazz defend well enough to force the Mavericks to turn the ball over and run them off the 3-point line.
Expect Utah will grab this first game at home and take a 2-1 series lead, but the Mavericks will cover the spread. Keep a close eye on the injury report. If Doncic plays, that will change the fabric of the series in a different way. Betting guides say getting important players back from injuries can help energize teams in playoff series.
Bet the Mavericks +6.5.
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