Tag: Kristaps Porzingis

Dallas Mavericks at Atlanta Hawks odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Dallas Mavericks at Atlanta Hawks sports betting odds, with NBA matchup analysis and picks.

The Dallas Mavericks (34-22) visit the Big Peach to play the Atlanta Hawks (16-41) Saturday in State Farm Arena at 7:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the Mavericks-Hawks odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.

Mavericks at Hawks: Key injuries

Mavericks

  • PF Dwight Powell (Achilles) out

Hawks

  • PF De’Andre Hunter (personal) out
  • SG DeAndre’ Bembry (abdominal) doubtful
  • PF Skal Labissiere (back) out
  • C Clint Capela (heel) out

Mavericks at Hawks: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 1:10 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Mavericks 131, Hawks 118

Moneyline (ML)

NO PLAY. Atlanta PG Trae Young is coming off a career-high 50-point performance in a Thursday’s 129-124 home win against the Miami Heat. The Mavericks started their post-All-Star Break campaign off on the right note, winning at Orlando Magic 122-106 Friday.  Dallas smoked Atlanta in the first meeting at home 123-100 Feb. 1, and that was without its top two leading scorers in SG Luka Doncic and PF Kristaps Porzingis. I am ruling out a Hawks +200 upset because of their Saturday splits. Atlanta is 2-7 on Saturdays, losing by an average score of 126-105, whereas Dallas has a 7-3 record on Saturdays, winning by an average score of 121-108. However, the poor value of Mavericks -250 steers me away from wagering on them. PASS.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Honestly, one can make a great argument for both of these teams covering. The Hawks +6.5 (-121) are 16-10-1 ATS in home games, but the MAVERICKS -6.5 (+100) are 18-6-2 ATS in road games. Plus, Atlanta is 13-6 ATS at home against teams above .500; Dallas is 9-2-1 ATS on the road against teams below. 500. The Hawks are 1-5 ATS in their last six games following a straight-up win, but the Mavericks are 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings in Atlanta and are 2-10 ATS in the last 12 meetings.

I lean MAVERICKS -6.5 (+100) because of the Saturday splits, the first game of the season and Dallas just being a much better team this year.

Over/Under (O/U)

For all the noise about the Hawks’ offensive proclivity, they are last in the NBA in 3-point percentage and 23rd in field-goal percentage. Also, the Under is 9-3 in the last 12 meetings. But Dallas has the highest percentage of Overs this season and Atlanta has the fourth highest. Their combined O/U record is a staggering 60-43 for the season. Let’s root for a fun game and bet OVER 239.5 (-121). There should be Atlanta-bred rappers and celebrities in attendance, plus if Offset and Cardi B are there maybe Luka puts on a show for his crush.

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Geoffery_Clark and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Kristaps Porzingis is a big Redskins fan

The Redskins have a new celebrity fan.

Here’s a new one — Dallas Mavericks star Kristaps Porzingis is a big fan of the Washington Redskins.

So much so, Porzingis was recently at a Washington Wizards game with Redskins quarterback Dwayne Haskins.

Porzingis explained why he’s a fan, per NBC Sports’ Chase Hughes:

“One of our assistant coaches, Darrell Armstrong, he’s a diehard Redskins fan. We are pretty close and he kind of brought me in. I was a free agent and didn’t really follow football that much. There are obviously guys talking in the locker room all the time, so I was like ‘I’ve gotta get into football a little bit. I was a free agent and D.A. made me a Redskins fan.”

Simple but effective, right?

Given the problems the Redskins have had with fans lately — especially in the attendance numbers — it sure doesn’t hurt to have someone of his stature publicly backing the team.

Here are a few of the posts chronicling the recent revelation.

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Memphis Grizzlies at Dallas Mavericks odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s Memphis Grizzlies at Dallas Mavericks sports betting odds, with NBA matchup analysis and picks.

The Memphis Grizzlies (25-25) trek over to the Big D to play the Dallas Mavericks (31-19) in the American Airlines Center at 8:30 p.m. ET. We analyze Grizzlies-Mavericks odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.

Grizzlies at Mavericks: Key injuries

GRIZZLIES

  • C Jonas Valanciunas (knee) questionable
  • SG Grayson Allen (hip) out
  • SF Bruno Caboclo (knee) out
  • SF Andre Iguodala (personal reasons) out

MAVERICKS

  • SG Seth Curry (knee) questionable
  • PG J.J. Barea (ankle) questionable
  • PG Luka Doncic (ankle) out
  • PF Dwight Powell (Achilles’) out

Grizzlies at Mavericks: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Grizzlies 122, Mavericks 111

Moneyline (ML)

Dallas has played pretty well in their previous three games, all without Doncic. They’ve won back-to-back games against the Indiana Pacers, 112-103, and the Atlanta Hawks, 123-100. The Mavericks pasted the Grizzlies in their first meeting this season, 138-122, back on Nov. 9. However, that was against a Grizzlies team that was without Ja Morant. Also, Memphis has played fabulously since the turn of the year, going 12-4, including winning five of their last six games. Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas (knee), who is questionable tonight, was able to participate in shootaround. That’s a good sign he’ll be fit to go tonight.

BET the scorching-hot GRIZZLIES +170 to pull off an upset. New to sports betting? Bet $50 on Grizzlies +170 to win $89.50 if they win outright.

Line/Against the Spread (ATS)

Both have been outstanding against the spread teams so far this season—Memphis is 27-22-1 ATS and Dallas is 27-20-3 ATS. But Memphis gets the edge in this matchup because they are the healthier team, especially in the backcourt. Also, the Grizzlies’ transition offense should have its way against the Mavericks:  Memphis is ranked fifth in fast-break points per game, and Dallas is last in opponents’ fast-break points per game. Also, the Grizzlies are 5-2 ATS when getting 3-4.5 points so TAKE THE GRIZZLIES +4.5 (-106) for insurance on our moneyline wager.

Over/Under (O/U)

These are both high-octane offenses—Memphis is ranked 10th in points per game and Dallas is third. Their first meeting (270-point total) went well Over bookmakers’ projected total of 222 and the last three Grizzlies-Mavericks games have went Over the projected total. There are fair questions the Mavericks are going to have to answer about how they’ll score without Doncic and possible Curry and Barea. But those questions should be easier for them to answer against a Grizzlies team that is ranked 26th in opponents’ points per game and 25th in three-point percentage.

BET OVER 225.5 (-115). 

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Geoffery_Clark and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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James Harden returns to form as undersized Rockets outshoot Mavs

James Harden (35) had his best 3-point shooting night in weeks, and he also grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds as the Rockets won at home.

Houston star James Harden had his best rebounding game of the season and his top 3-point shooting performance in weeks as the undersized Rockets held off Kristaps Porziņģis and Dallas Mavericks in a 128-121 victory (box score) Friday night at Toyota Center.

It’s the fourth win in six games for the host Rockets (30-18), who jumped Dallas (29-19) in the Western Conference standings with the victory. Harden led the way with a game-high 35 points and 16 rebounds.

With starting center Clint Capela again out with a heel injury, Houston coach Mike D’Antoni went back to his small lineup by starting usual power forward P.J. Tucker at center, and then inserting Danuel House Jr. to Tucker’s vacated spot. Thabo Sefolosha spelled both off the bench.

The Rockets are now 2-0 with the undersized House-Tucker front line in Capela’s absence, having also won on Monday in Utah.

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On Monday, reserve seven-footer Isaiah Hartenstein played a few first-half minutes. On Friday, he did not, making the Rockets the first team since 1963 to play an entire NBA game with no player above 6-foot-6.

Given that dynamic, the 7-foot-3 Porziņģis took advantage with 35 points and 12 rebounds. Overall, Dallas won the rebounding battle, 52-37.

But the added floor spacing paid major dividends for Houston on the other end, with the Rockets making 21 of 45 shots (46.7%) from 3-point range as a team. Of Harden’s 35 points, over half of them came courtesy of a 6-of-14 showing (42.9%) on 3-pointers.

Harden entered the Dallas game shooting just 22.9% on 3-pointers during his recent 10-game slump. Friday’s result is just the second time in the last 11 games for the former MVP and the league’s current scoring leader to exceed 35% from behind the arc.

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The floor spacing may have also helped Harden and the Rockets avoid turnovers, with Houston recording only six as a team for the entire game.

In addition to his shooting on offense, Harden also helped Houston overcome its lack of size on defense with a season-high 16 rebounds and a game-high four steals. Of those 16 rebounds, 14 were defensive.

Harden’s final 3-pointer iced the game late in the fourth quarter, putting the Rockets up by seven points with just over a minute left.

Russell Westbrook had 32 points and a team-high nine assists. Of the 128 points, over half came between Houston’s All-Star backcourt, which had 67 combined. Eric Gordon made his second consecutive start at small forward and added 17 points, including three 3-pointers.

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The Mavs were missing star guard Luka Doncic, who was out with an ankle injury and is expected to miss several more games. Backcourt mate Tim Hardaway Jr. made four of the Mavs’ 14 total 3-pointers, but that wasn’t enough to keep up with the hot-shooting Rockets.

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The Rockets return to action Sunday afternoon for the second game of a three-game homestand. In a 1 p.m. local time tip-off, the Rockets will host prized rookie Zion Williamson and the suddenly surging New Orleans Pelicans (20-29), who have now won three straight games.

Sunday’s game will be nationally televised on ABC.

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With Davis’ status in doubt, Lakers will need Kyle Kuzma at Mavs

The Los Angeles Lakers will likely have LeBron James but the status of his co-star Anthony Davis is in doubt, bringing Kuzma into focus.

For over two weeks, Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma has been the subject of trade speculation given the fact they will not trade LeBron James or Anthony Davis anytime soon. Kuzma, among all of the pieces on the Lakers, is the youngest and most attractive asset to another team.

The most enticing name linked to Kuzma was Sacramento’s Bogdan Bogdanovic but that still remains to be a mystery as well. The only thing the Lakers can count on for sure between now and then is that they will play a back-to-back against two playoff-projected squads in Dallas and Oklahoma City. And with Dallas we will begin, specifically their engine Luka Doncic. Meanwhile, the Lakers may not even have to miss a game with Anthony Davis as his status for Friday remains up in the air.

LeBron James just passed Doncic in the All-Star voting but James is definitely doing more in a smaller usage rate. Doncic is currently posting a 37% usage rate, a mark higher than LeBron has ever had by nearly four percentage points.

Doncic will be the key for the Lakers defense, whether they have Anthony Davis or not. Avery Bradley, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Danny Green will likely be the ones who will face him on Friday on the ball.

With Davis still nursing his injury, whether he plays or not, the Lakers will need Kuzma to deliver some strong play to knock off a couple of teams primed to make the postseason in the West.

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Anthony Davis ‘still sore but not ruled out’ for Friday at Mavericks

The Los Angeles Lakers may have their star forward when they kick off a two-game trip on Friday night against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Los Angeles Lakers dodged serious injury with their star forward Anthony Davis after a nasty fall in Tuesday night’s win against the Knicks and they may yet escape the ordeal without Davis missing any games at all because of it.

The latest update on Davis from Lakers practice is that he is “still sore” but is not ruled out for Friday night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, according to The Athletic’s Bill Oram. That’s fantastic news for the Lakers, following another good sign that he will be with the team for their two-game trip after it was previously reported Davis would stay in L.A. and rehab.

Davis was injured late in the third quarter against the Knicks and gingerly walked off the floor, but did not return. Davis has missed only two games so far this season and the Lakers are 1-1 in those games. But if the Lakers don’t have Davis, it’s not like their opponents also aren’t lacking a key piece. The Dallas Mavericks announced earlier Thursday morning that they’d be without starting forward Kristaps Porzingis for the next few games.

If Davis doesn’t make it for Friday’s game, it doesn’t seem outlandish that he’d be able to play the following night in Oklahoma City against a strong Thunder team. But they also may take more time with him, in which case Kyle Kuzma will have a much bigger role for the Lakers.

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Garrett Temple ruled out against Mavericks

Garrett Temple has been added to the long list of Brooklyn Nets who will be unavailable for Kenny Atkinson on Thursday.

The Brooklyn Nets will be without Garrett Temple for the first time in 2019-20. The wing has been ruled out by the team for their game on Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks with a right knee contusion.

Temple has started in 23 of Brooklyn’s 32 games this season. He is averaging 29.5 minutes a night.

Temple joins a long list of Nets ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Mavericks. Caris LeVert (right thumb surgery), Kyrie Irving (right shoulder impingement), Nicolas Claxton (left hamstring soreness) and, of course, Kevin Durant (right Achilles surgery) are unavailable.

David Nwaba (right Achilles surgery) is also unavailable for the Nets. But, he may no longer be with the team. A report has surfaced stating he is going to be waived.

Former New York Knicks superstar big man Kristaps Porzingis will not be available for the Mavericks. He has been ruled out due to right knee soreness.

RELATED: Report: Nets are waiving David Nwaba

Nets visiting Mavericks at odd time

The Mavs have lost back-to-back games. The Nets have lost three in a row. Both teams are also dealing with injuries heading into Thursday.

One team’s skid is going to come to an end on Thursday.

The Brooklyn Nets have lost three in a row. It started with the New York Knicks the day after Christmas, then the Houston Rockets, followed by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Dallas Mavericks have lost back-to-back games. They lost to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, then dropped their New Year’s Eve matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Now, the argument could be made the Mavs are primed for a breakout game because of their recent rough patch. Though, the same could be said for the Nets, too.

However, Nets fans know all too well injuries are plaguing Brooklyn like no one else. This makes it hard to imagine the Nets will bust out. But, the Mavs are in a similar position. Kristaps Porzingis (right knee soreness) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (left hamstring soreness) both missed the game in Oklahoma City. Not to mention Luka Doncic hasn’t quite been himself since returning from his ankle injury (25% from three post-injury, 32.6% pre-injury).

If Porzingis remains sidelined, Jarrett Allen and DeAndre Jordan have a chance to run wild in the paint. Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell are solid, but that’s not a pair Brooklyn’s frontcourt should struggle against if Dallas’ best rim protector is out, or even not at full strength. (Porzingis is averaging 2.1 blocks per game.)

Of course, the Nets can overwhelm the Mavs if their 3-pointers start to fall. Specifically, if Brooklyn’s 3-point shooters in the starting lineup — Joe Harris, Taurean Prince, Garrett Temple and Spencer Dinwiddie — are on. Because, Wilson Chandler and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot have had some solid nights of late, but those two alone can’t make up for a 1-for-10 performance from Prince against the Knicks or Dinwiddie’s 0-for-7 night in Houston.

The Nets’ 3-point shooting has swung in the right direction since facing the Knicks, improving from 26% to 28.2% to 36.6% on Monday. They can’t afford to have that percentage to go back in the other direction.

Brooklyn has a reasonable chance to start 2020 on the right foot, but the Nets can’t expect Dallas to hand them a win just because the Mavs have struggled of late, too.

Tip-off time is 8:30 p.m. EST.

Draymond Green loves when Klay Thompson’s temper flares for Warriors

Throughout the Warriors’ loss to the Mavericks, trash talk was thrown around from the bench to the floor and Klay Thompson was in the middle of it.

It’s been 12 years since the Warriors upset the 2007 Dallas Mavericks in the playoffs, but in 2019, there looked to be no love lost. The Warriors four-game win streak snapped in a blowout loss against the Mavericks, 141-121. However, the storyline was how chippy things got throughout the game between Dallas and Golden State.

It’s safe to say the holiday spirit for the Warriors and Mavericks has worn off.

The tension between the teams grew when Kristaps Porzingis and Draymond Green had a heated exchange in the second quarter. Green swiped the ball from Porzingis and stared down the 7-foot Latvian.

Porzingis and Green were caught exchanging words that didn’t look all too friendly, which led to the two getting separated by teammates.
A surprise Warrior injected himself into the trash talk, injured All-Star Klay Thompson, got off the bench, and appeared frustrated with Green and Porzingis’ face-to-face battle.

After the game, Green was proud of the way Thompson came to his defense versus Porzingis.

“I don’t think I enjoy many things more in life than when Klay gets into it with somebody,” Green told reporters after the Warriors’ loss. “That’s always a treat—so, that was fun to see.”

Saying there are not many things Green enjoys more in life than seeing Thompson get fired up against an opposing player is high praise from the former Defensive Player of the Year.

Both injured All-Star guards, Thompson and Stephen Curry, have been around the Warriors’ on a more consistent basis as both are progressing through injuries.

According to several Warriors players, Curry and Thompson have brought a new level of energy to the team’s sideline, and it’s shown.

Although the Dubs lost against Dallas, they ended their five-game homestand with a 4-1 record with Curry and Thompson in the building— a breath of fresh air amid a season filled with struggles.

Rick Carlisle delivers all-time rant in response to ‘Inside the NBA’ Kristaps Porzingis criticism

“The post-up just isn’t a good play anymore.”

In general, in the NBA, posting up is a strategy of a bygone era.

Just ask Rick Carlisle (and a reporter did!).

The Dallas Mavericks coach was criticized during the team’s win over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night by the Inside the NBA crew, who wanted to see Kristaps Porzingis play inside more instead of hanging out at at the perimeter.

It would seem counterintuitive when the 7-foot-3 Porzingis — not the bulkiest of big men despite putting on some muscle this offseason —  is most effective hitting from distance and creating offense from the perimeter (that’s what makes him the Unicorn!). And that’s exactly what Carlisle said when asked about that — he went on a rant about Porzingis and the post-up play in general (WARNING: There’s an NSFW word in there):

Here’s the full transcript, via The Athletic:

“The post-up just isn’t a good play anymore. It just isn’t a good play. It’s not a good play for a 7-3 guy. It’s a low-value situation. Our numbers are very substantial that when he spaces beyond the 3-point line, you know, we’re a historically good offensive team. And when any of our guys go in there, our effectiveness is diminished exponentially. It’s counterintuitive, I understand that, but it’s a fact. I think there’s certain situations where it makes sense. If we can get him on a roll in the paint towards the rim, that’s a good situation. And that’s what we’ll try to do with all our guys.

“We don’t post anybody up. We post Luka up every once in a while when he has a real small guy on him. But even those situations, the value of those situations has plummeted. We’ve got to realize that this game has changed. It’s changed. It’s just a fact. And he’s a guy when he spaces beyond the arc, above the break, is a historically great all-time 3-point shooter with unbelievable efficiency. And the thing I like about his game now is his reads have gotten better. His spacing is such that when people run at him, he’s now driving the ball directly for dunks. He’s throwing some really cool lob passes to (Dwight) Powell. I mean, you’ve got a 7-3 guy throwing to a 6-10 guy on a lob? That’s pretty (expletive) cool if you ask me.

“Let’s get off of all this stuff that KP needs to go in the post. He doesn’t. He doesn’t. I’m OK with him going in there once in a while, but we don’t post anybody. It’s nothing personal against him. Look, he’s used to doing it because they ran the triangle for two or three years when he was (with the Knicks). Who’s running the triangle now? Has anyone seen anyone running the triangle offense? The triple post? If you do, raise your hand, because I wanna see who you are. Because I haven’t seen it. Because that offense is extinct. Look, it went extinct when Phil Jackson retired. He’s the only one who ever had any success with it. He’s a genius and a master of it, but look, we’ve got to get off of this thing. We’ve got to treat KP with some respect. And respect him for what he is. He’s a historically great player. And quit criticizing him because he’s 7-3. That’s what everybody’s doing. I don’t care who it is. I don’t care if it’s people on TV or anything else.”

The thing is, he’s right, both about the play and Porzingis’s effectiveness:

Big men these days are more prized when they can stretch the floor, not if they can post up inside, save for the occasional mismatch.

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