The Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks will both be similarly confident following their respective first-round wins. The two title hopefuls will meet in the second round tonight. There are some bets for the future you don't want to miss. The Thunder will be a mainstay in the playoffs with a young core and plenty of draft picks, but Luka Doncic hopes this is the year he can turn regular season success into postseason glory. right.
Doc's Sports provides NBA picks for each game on our NBA predictions page.
Oklahoma City Thunder:
The Thunder exceeded expectations in the regular season and earned the top seed in the Western Conference for the first time since the 2013 season. They had a very young team that was expected to collapse once they were tasked with commanding a seven-game series. However, the Thunder silenced the doubters and swept the New Orleans Pelicans without much trouble. The Thunder's defense held the Pelicans to 92 points or less in all four games of the series, and they didn't need much offense to win those games. Chet Holmgren led the way with 2.8 blocks per game, and young Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was a force on both ends of the court. Gilgeous-Alexander is the oldest player in the Thunder's starting lineup, only 25 years old. His impact on the offensive line had him in the MVP conversation for much of the regular season. He translated that into postseason success, posting 27.3 ppg and 5.0 assists, both team-highs. The Thunder were able to shake off the Pelicans, but it won't be easy going forward. New Orleans was without Zion Williamson, which made life much easier for the Thunder inside. The Pelicans had their wings clipped when they lost Williamson, but I never believed they could upset the Thunder. The Thunder have no shortage of talent, and their lineup is full of future NBA superstars. Jaylen Williams had a very productive series against the Pelicans, with the 21-year-old leading the team in steals with 1.8 on defense and shooting 53% from the field with 21.3 PPG. Between Holmgren, Williams, Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Guidi, and Luguentz Dort, the Thunder can move the ball on offense and look to see who can knock down clutch shots. The Thunder's biggest problem is their lack of playoff experience. If the Thunder advance to the playoffs, they will become the youngest NBA team to win a championship with a weighted average age of just 23.92 years. They are already the youngest No. 1 seed in history, and there is no reason to doubt this team's ability to continue to defy expectations.
Dallas Mavericks:
The Dallas Mavericks will be a threat to make a deep run in the playoffs with Luka Doncic, but this year feels like the year they finally put it all together. Doncic led the league in scoring during the regular season, but his partnership with Kyrie Irving gave the Clippers plenty of problems. Dallas defeated the Clippers in the first round relatively quickly, defeating them in six games. They held the Clippers to just 100.3 PPG, with three of their four wins coming by double digits. While the Clippers were collapsing, the Mavericks' stars showed up when needed. Going forward, Dallas will need more offensive help from the rest of the lineup.
Doncic and Irving averaged 29.8 PPG and 26.5 PPG, respectively, while PJ Washington's 10.8 PPG was the next best on the team. The superstar tandem of Washington, Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively can't stand alone and will need to contribute.
Doncic has consistently been one of the league's best players over the past few seasons, and Irving has finally given him a proper co-star. Irving has stayed away from the media and seems focused on winning another NBA championship ring. His shooting splits in the first round were incredible, hitting 51% from the field and 44% from behind the arc. Irving has been able to take some of the pressure off Doncic and produce results, making the Mavericks a serious threat to make the playoffs.
Dallas will need defensive players to continue to step up against the Thunder. Rookie Derek Lively has been solid in the paint, allowing Dallas to shut down even the hottest offenses in the league. They have big game experience, a superstar tandem, and a solid defensive team. Dallas has been a real force in this year's playoffs, and they showed it in the first round against the Clippers.
Thunder vs. Mavericks Prediction:
The Thunder and Mavericks both have legitimate title aspirations, but this could be the end for one of these two teams. The Thunder entered the year with odds of +8,000, having been in doubt all season long to win. The fact that they became the youngest No. 1 seed in league history is a promising sign for the franchise's future, but I don't see them getting past an experienced Mavericks team.
While the Thunder were able to shut out a battered Pelicans team defensively, the Mavericks bring a different set of offensive skills to the table. Doncic is the toughest guard in the league, as his size and athleticism make him a threat to drive into the paint with deadly accuracy. Doncic struggled from deep in the first round, but the Thunder don't have anyone who can guard him. Gilgeous-Alexander will be tasked with slowing down Irving and containing Doncic against the vulnerable Josh Giddy. Doncic can get into the post, but Guidi lacks the strength to consistently keep him from getting under the basket. The Mavericks need role players to step up. But even if they have an average offense and solid defense, Doncic and Irving can take care of the rest. The Thunder will be proud of the progress they've made, but a loss against the Mavericks would leave a bittersweet feeling for the team.
Prediction: Dallas Mavericks win 6 games
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I expected this series to be a true coin flip, and I'm really excited to see the Mavericks advance at +105. Dallas has proven to be much more complete than last season, and he will feel like he has what it takes to beat a hungry Thunder team. If Dallas wins Game 1, the +105 price will plummet. This is an absolute must bet in the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
The second bet targets the most rebounds in the series. Luka Doncic has odds of -175, with Chet Holmgren his closest rival at +225. Holmgren and Doncic both averaged 8.8 rebounds in the first round, but a matchup that favors Doncic could get the best out of Holmgren in this series. Doncic is a triple-double machine, able to vacuum up everything in his vicinity. Holmgren, on the other hand, may have been able to match Doncic's Round 1 performance, but available rebounds dictated his stats. The Pelicans missed countless shots in the first round, allowing everyone on the Thunder to enjoy the glass. As the Mavericks become more efficient on offense, there will be far fewer easy rebounds available to Holmgren to keep up the pace.
Top contenders: Dallas Mavericks advance +105
Nomination: Luka Doncic Most rebounds -175`
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