The reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets (47-20, 20-14 on the road) sit atop the Western Conference and will face the Dallas Mavericks looking for their sixth straight road win. This nationally televised matchup is exactly the kind of signature win the Mavs are looking for, as it goes a long way to cleaning up the atmosphere left over from their post-All-Star break slide. As of this writing, Luka Doncic is listed as questionable, so we're going into this game assuming he'll play, but if he's announced as out during the game. Please note that everything changes. With the disclaimer in mind, let's examine the value of lines and props.
Game details
Fixture: Denver Nuggets vs. Dallas Mavericks | March 17, 2024, 2:30 PM CST
Venue: American Airlines Center | Dallas, Texas
Odds of outcome
- Spread: Nugget -3 (-110)
- O/U 225.5
- Mavs ML: +124
DraftKings odds are up to date as of 12:15 a.m. CST.
player props
- Michael Porter Jr. 22.5 points + rebounds (-125)
- Kyrie Irving has over 4.5 assists (-120)
MPJ has had a slight road split in his rebounding numbers, and other than some bad moments against the Warriors and Bucks, he has been scoring well on the road for a while now. If he's on, this should progress pretty comfortably to a green checkmark.
Covering a team and watching almost every game is a different betting experience than handicapping a team you don't follow much. One of the benefits of this nearby view is that it provides lightbulb moments throughout the season. In that vein, even before Doncic's hamstring issue, it felt like Irving's connection with his teammates (including the new players) was back to normal. This should be an easy hit if Luka can't go or the day is cut short. Even if #77 sticks to Maverick fans' expectations, this prop feels like a good read. He takes over Irving's 4.5 assists.
today's play
- Luka Doncic, over 51.5 points + rebounds + assists (-130)
This will be the third time these two teams have played against each other. Denver is looking for a third win and will take the Nuggets if called for a side lean. But the more Dallas-centric Play of the Day follows Luka as he returns from a brief hiatus and resumes his strong performance against Denver. In the last two losses, the PRA totals were 52 and 57, both on the road. Here we see that 51.5 year old Luka needs 52 year old due to the support of the local crowd and his desire to put on a show in front of ABC cameras. Book it.
