Bucks vs Mavericks Picks & Odds (Dec. 9)
- The Dallas Mavericks are 1-point home underdogs vs the Milwaukee Bucks Friday night
- Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the two leading scorers in the NBA
- Read below for the Bucks vs Mavericks preview, with odds and predictions
The stars are out in Big D Friday night, as the Milwaukee Bucks (18-6, 6-3 away) visit the Dallas Mavericks (13-11, 10-3 home).
Two of the top three candidates in the 2023 NBA MVP odds clash, as favorite Giannis Antetokounmpo, the league’s second-leading scorer, battles Luka Doncic, the top scorer in the league, with the third-best odds to win his first MVP crown.
This is the final regular-season matchup between the two teams (unless they meet in the NBA Finals), with Milwaukee rolling over Dallas 124-115 on November 27.
It all gets underway Friday (Dec 9) at 10pm ET from American Airlines Center, in a game that can seen live on ESPN.
Bucks vs Mavericks Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Bucks | -1 (-110) | -115 | Ov 223 (-110) |
| Dallas Mavericks | +1 (-110) | -105 | Un 223 (-110) |
Odds as of Dec 8 at DraftKings. Claim the DraftKings Sportsbook promo code to bet on the Bucks vs Mavericks game.
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The NBA odds have the visiting Bucks as 1-point favorites, in a game that features a total of 223.
Milwaukee Betting Outlook
The Bucks cruised last time out, dumping the Sacramento Kings 126-113. It’s Milwaukee’s third straight win and their sixth in the last seven.
Giannis was the driving force in the win, finishing with 35 points, six rebounds and seven assists. Antetokounmpo, who averages 32.1 points and 11.1 boards per game, has now topped the 30-point plateau in eight straight appearances.
🔥 35 PTS (63.2% FG) | 6 REB | 7 AST@Giannis_An34 balled out for his 8th straight game with 30+ points! #FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/HfYy9Sx5JA
— NBA (@NBA) December 8, 2022
Jrue Holiday chipped in with 31 points, five rebounds and six assists, as all five Milwaukee starters scored in double digits. Khris Middleton, in the early stages in a return from wrist surgery, had 14 points, six rebounds and six assists in his third game of the season.
On the year, the Bucks are middle of the pack in most offensive categories, including scoring (113.1 ppg) and field goal (21st) and three-point shooting (17th), while ranking second in rebounding and top 10 in offensive rebounding.
They really make their mark on the defensive side of the ball, with the 3rd-best scoring defense at 108 points per game, while holding teams to an NBA-best 44.6% shooting from the field.
Dallas Betting Outlook
After an ugly stretch that had them drop five of six, the Mavericks have put that spell behind them, winning three straight. That includes last game, a gritty 116-115 win over the Denver Nuggets.
The impressive performance — the second night of a back-to-back, no less — was Dallas’ second straight road win, after winning just one of their first nine away from home.
Doncic had a rough shooting night, going 5-for-17 from the field, but did pick up a triple double, with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. He’s putting up 32.9 points per game, 8.6 rebounds and 8.7 assists on the season.
Luka Doncic may have the best vision in NBA HISTORY 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/gpUDo6UptE
— MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) December 7, 2022
His teammates picked him up in this one, with Tim Hardaway Jr dropping 29 points on 6-for-8 shooting from downtown. Dorian Finney-Smith had 19 points, including the game-clinching three-pointer late in the fourth quarter.
Like Milwaukee, Dallas is outside the top 10 in scoring (16th), but they’re just behind the Bucks in scoring defense, surrendering 108.7 points a game.
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Bucks vs Mavericks Prediction
At 10-3, Dallas is one of five teams to have hit double-digit home wins in the West, and it’s what has them in seventh in the conference.
The Bucks, solid in second in the East, have been a solid bet against top competition of late, posting a 3-0-1 mark against the spread in their last four vs teams with winning records.
Milwaukee has not been a great wager, however, in this head-to-head, going 2-7 ATS in their last nine in Dallas, while sporting a 5-15-2 ATS record in the last 22 meetings.
Even then, Dallas sports a lowly 4-8-1 ATS at home this season, the second-worst mark in the NBA. And two days off hasn’t done them well lately: the Mavs are 0-6 ATS in their last six with two days of rest in between games.
This is essentially a pick’em. Giannis and Luka will put on a show, and I think the Bucks take a tight one.
Pick:
- Bucks -1 (-110); 1 unit to win 0.91 units
- NBA Betting Record: 14-11 ATS, 1-0 ML, 2-3 o/u; 0-2 parlays; +0.17 units
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Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.
