The Dallas Mavericks (43-30) meet the Portland Trail Blazers (33-39) Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET in the NBA’s Orlando bubble. We analyze the Mavericks-Trail Blazers NBA betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
Mavericks vs. Trail Blazers: Key injuries
Mavericks
- PG Luka Doncic (ankle) questionable
- PF Dorian Finney-Smith (hip) questionable
- PF Kristaps Porzingis (knee) questionable
- PF Dwight Powell (Achilles) out
- SG Courtney Lee (calf) out
Trail Blazers
- C Hassan Whiteside (hip) questionable
- SF Trevor Ariza (personal) out
- PF Caleb Swanigan (personal) out
- SG Rodney Hood (Achilles) out
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Mavericks vs. Trail Blazers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 10:50 a.m. ET.
Prediction
Mavericks 125, Trail Blazers 120
Moneyline (ML)
The Mavericks (+145) surprisingly upset the Utah Jazz, 122-114, Monday, without their two leading scorers in Doncic and Porzingis. It was Dallas’ second consecutive win after beating the Milwaukee Bucks in overtime Saturday. Dallas is 3-3 in their restart games.
The Trail Blazers (-175) eked out a 124-121 win over a Philadelphia 76ers team without their two leading scorers. PG Damian Lillard erupted for 51 points in a bounce-back effort after missing two free throws in the final minute of a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Portland is a half-game back of the Memphis Grizzlies for the 8-seed in the West with two games remaining.
Dallas beat Portland in two of the three meetings earlier this year with Doncic and Lillard playing spectacularly in all games. Luka averaged 30.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists and Lillard was putting up 36.3 points and 7.7 assists per game.
If Doncic plays I give him the edge because of the earlier head-to-head matchups and how Luka has looked so far in the bubble. Doncic is averaging a triple-double in his five restart games (33.4 points, 11.6 rebound and 11.6 assists per game) and is 4-3 in his career against Lillard and the Trail Blazers.
Let’s BET THE MAVERICKS (+145) to upset the desperate Trail Blazers.
Line/Against the Spread (ATS)
One of the criticisms of this young Mavericks is their inability to close out close games, and we know Lillard’s penchant for hitting game-winning shots and willing the Trail Blazers to victories.
I “like” Luka to get the better of Lillard in this point guard duel but it would be foolish to not put a bigger bet on the spread given how each team performs in close games. Dallas (+4, -110) has a 2-10 record in games decided by three points or less and Portland (-4, -110) is 7-3 in those situations.
Monitor the injury report up until tip-off, or until the teams confirm their starting lineups, before making a bet. Based on the intel we have now, the MAVERICKS +4 (-110) ARE THE PLAY.
Over/Under (O/U)
The “square” play most likely pays here so I’d LEAN to OVER 238.5 (-110). Both of these teams have explosive offenses and below-average efficient defenses so we should see a lot of points here.
Mavericks-Trail Blazers have a combined Over/Under record of 86-59 this season and their last four meetings have all gone Over the total. Five of six bubble games for Portland have gone Over and four of six Dallas games have gone Over in the bubble.
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