76ers vs Mavericks Picks & Odds (Mar. 2)
- The 76ers hit the road to face the Mavericks on Thursday as 3-point underdogs in the 76ers vs Mavericks picks
- Dallas is just 1-4 so far with Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic playing together
- Find the 76ers vs Mavericks odds, preview, and picks below
The Dallas Mavericks (32-31, 20-12 home) will be looking to end a two-game losing skid on Thursday as they welcome Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers (40-21, 16-11 away) to the American Airlines Center. The tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET. Read on for the 76ers vs Mavericks odds.
Dallas fell to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday as Kyrie Irving missed what would’ve been a game-winning triple at the buzzer. The Sixers on the other hand just wiped the floor with the Miami Heat Wednesday by a score of 119-96, hitting the 40-win mark in the process.
76ers vs Mavericks Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia 76ers | +3 (-110) | +128 | OFF |
| Dallas Mavericks | -3 (-110) | -152 | OFF |
The Mavericks are actually the favorite here, laying three points and sitting at +128 moneyline odds. They’re a league-worst 22-38-3 ATS, though. The 76ers come back at -152 and have gone 5-6 as an ATS underdog on the road. This is the first meeting of 2022-23 between the two, both grabbing one win apiece last season. Odds as of March 1st at FanDuel.
Will the Kyrie-Luka Duo Work?
The Mavs took a big gamble at the trade deadline by acquiring Irving to team up with franchise star Luka Doncic. So far, the early returns aren’t great. The duo is just 1-4 together and the team is only one game above .500 heading into Thursday’s contest, occupying the top play-in spot in the NBA Playoff Bracket. With minimal time left in the regular season, Dallas’ two best players need to figure it out in a hurry.
Luka or Kyrie have also had the ball in their hands in every single one of those losses but failed to come through, including Tuesday against Indiana when Irving’s three-pointer clanked off the front of the rim. Perhaps the most puzzling part about that last play is Doncic was simply a spectator and didn’t even try to get open.
Kyrie Irving: “I really want to win here, really put a lot of pressure on myself, at times I think I need to scale it back a little bit… I just got to focus on being the best that I can be. I got to focus on showing up, not just for Luka (Dončić), but for my teammates.” pic.twitter.com/4YswOHuIvQ
— Landon Thomas (@sixfivelando) March 1, 2023
Nevertheless, the Slovenian still finished with 39 points in just 37 minutes of action, while his co-star added 16 points and nine assists. It’s definitely been a disappointing last few days for Dallas though, who squandered a 27-point lead on Sunday against the Lakers, too. Needless to say, the Mavs need a bounce-back performance here, but it won’t be easy. Kevin Durant and the Suns also visit on the weekend. Tough stretch ahead.
Sixers Grab Statement Win
Philly is now just 2-2 since the All-Star break, leaving them comfortably in third place in the East. And after losing to the Heat on Monday, the 76ers responded Wednesday without their star big man Joel Embiid, who sat out the front end of a back-to-back due to foot soreness.
Basketball is a team game but it’s hard to believe Doc Rivers’ squad could put forward such a dominant performance with their best player absent. That’s why this win was such a promising sign for what’s to come down the stretch and into the playoffs. Philadelphia completely took advantage of the struggling Heat, shooting a whopping 49% from the field and outscoring Miami 26-7 in transition.
MIAMI MAXEY = 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/L107CqJxuJ
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 2, 2023
The second quarter proved to be the difference-maker, dropping 37 points while holding Jimmy Butler and Co. to just 15. Tyrese Maxey led the charge with 27 points, while James Harden added 23. Three others finished in double figures, as well. Embiid should be back vs. Dallas after resting the foot.
76ers vs Mavericks Prediction
If Embiid does return as expected, I’m definitely liking Philly here because no one can contain him down low, especially not on the Dallas roster. If he’s on the shelf again, however, the Mavs definitely have a chance to win this one. Keep an eye on the big man’s status.
Pick: 76ers moneyline +128
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Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
