Mavericks vs. Thunder Game 1 Prediction, NBA Playoff Odds
The Mavs got past the L.A. Clippers in six games last round while the Thunder cruised past New Orleans in a 4-0 sweep.
This upcoming matchup for the Thunder won’t be so easy though. Dallas’ duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving — two experienced post-season players — is looking dangerous as ever, and on the flip side the Mavs kept L.A. under 102 points in all of Dallas’ wins. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, this young Thunder are going through their first ever post-season as a core. No stage has been too big for OKC this season, but the playoffs bring a whole new level.
Tip-off for Game 1 at Paycom Center gets going at 9:30 p.m. EDT with the Thunder -3.5 on the point spread and the over-under at 218.5 on the NBA odds.
Mavericks vs. Thunder NBA Playoff Betting Odds
The Thunder come in as the slightest of a favourite to advance. Oddsmakers got the Thunder -120 to win the series, and OKC in seven the most likely series outcome at +425 odds. A Dallas sweep is the biggest longshot at +1400 odds.
Head-to-head, Oklahoma City took three of their four matchups with Dallas. The winning team scored a minimum of 126 points and reached 135 twice. In Dallas’ lone win over the Thunder this season they scored 146 points (and was the only time both Doncic and Irving played together versus OKC). The Thunder covered in eight of their last 10 matchups with Dallas and they come in on a seven-game win streak on home court.
Luka Doncic is -275 to end up as the series’ leading scorer. Kyrie Irving is a value play to target at +1000 odds. Irving finished with 26.5 points per game in Dallas’ opening series.
Oklahoma City has the third-best odds to go all the way at +800 odds. Dallas is fifth at +1000.
Dallas Mavericks
The winning formula for Dallas is pretty much rinse and repeat; lean on your two superstar talents and use post-season experience to your advantage. The first criteria shouldn’t be too difficult given how Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving performed against L.A. Irving delivered down the stretch last round with some highlight-reel finishes and maintained nearly four threes a game. Doncic had double-digit assists in the final three games of Dallas’ first-round series.
Defensively, Derrick Jones Jr. must be up to the task. Per a Doncic tweet last week, Jones Jr. is quote “very very underrated” but he comes into this series as one of the Mavs top defenders. Jones Jr. will see a ton of Shai in this series and unlike the other two Dallas stars, Jones Jr. doesn’t have a ton of experience in the bright lights yet.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder got a break in their first-round series with New Orleans’ Zion Williamson injured for its entirety but that’s not to say OKC doesn’t deserve some love for their sweep. Oklahoma City held New Orleans to a maximum of 92 points and averaged 89.5 against in the series. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder in scoring in all four games and averaged 27.3 points per outing. Jalen Williams wasn’t far behind with 21.3 points per game, the sophomore getting his first NBA playoffs action.
Lu Dort’s going to play a pivotal role in this series, being tasked with locking down either Doncic or Irving, and probably the latter. Dort is one of the league’s top defenders and if either of the elite ball-handlers get past Dort, it’s up to 7’ footer Chet Holmgren to protect the paint.
DAL
OKC