Spurs vs. Mavericks Pick
Are the San Antonio Spurs and host Dallas Mavericks going to engage in a defensive battle tonight at 8:30PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Spurs are a 6-point favorite on the spread line. The over-under is set at 199 points.
San Antonio enters with a 19-8 record and 14-12-1 ATS after a 104-101 victory at the Suns, its fourth straight win. Dallas is 7-20 overall and 12-14-1 ATS following a 97-92 loss at the Timberwolves, their third straight defeat. The Spurs have won the first two meetings this season, by scores of 97-91 in Dallas on Nov. 14 and 115-08 at home on Nov. 27. The over-under went 1-1. San Antonio is 5-1 straight up and 1-5 ATS in six meetings since the start of last season The over is 4-2.
LaMarcus Aldridge led the Spurs with 20 points, nine rebounds and two assists in the win at Phoenix. Patty Mills tallied 20 points, two boards and two assists off the bench. Rudy Gay added 16 points, nine rebounds and two assists. San Antonio led 52-39 at halftime. It was the final game the Spurs will play before the expected return of star Kawhi Leonard, who is expected to make his season debut tonight.
Dallas was paced by Harrison Barnes with 19 points, three rebounds and two assists in the loss at Minnesota. Maxi Kleber accounted for 16 points and five rebounds. JJ Barea added 16 points and four rebounds off the bench. The Mavericks allowed the T-Wolves to shoot 50 percent (36-of-72) from the floor.
San Antonio is 1-5 ATS in the last six meetings. The under is 5-2 in the last seven meetings in Dallas.
The Spurs will welcome back Leonard tonight, which immediately gives them a boost on both sides of the ball. Since Barnes is the Mavs’ best offensive player, Leonard guarding him will cause a serious detriment to the hosts’ offense. San Antonio is always deliberate offensively, which should keep possessions at a minimum. I like the under here.
NBA DAILY PREDICTION: SPURS/MAVERICKS UNDER 199