Mavericks vs Suns Odds and Picks
- The Dallas Mavericks visit the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday for the first game of the season for each team
- The Mavs were 2-1 in the preseason, while Phoenix went 0-4
- Get the full odds, preview, and best bet below for this season opener
We’ll have a enticing contest on our hands on Wednesday, December 23rd, when the Dallas Mavericks travel to Arizona to take on the Phoenix Suns, tip-off 10:30 PM EST.
The Suns got the better of the Mavs last season, beating them three straight times, including two victories against Luka Doncic and co. in the Orlando bubble.
The latest Dallas Mavericks vs Phoenix Suns Odds are favoring the home team by just one point.
Dallas Mavericks vs Phoenix Suns Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total Points at FanDuel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Mavericks | +1 (-110) | -102 | O 234.5 (-110) |
| Phoenix Suns | -1 (-110) | -116 | U 234.5 (-110) |
Odds taken Dec 23rd at FanDuel
Dallas Looking to Build off Solid Preseason
The Mavs enjoyed a relatively productive preseason despite the small sample size. They defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in back to back games to kick things off, beating them by 10 points then 16 the following game.
Luka Doncic was impressive in both contests, dropping 27 in the latter while also racking up a healthy amount of assists and rebounds.
In their preseason finale, Dallas lost to the Timberwolves by two points, but the Slovenian once again showed out. He’s actually a heavy favorite to win MVP this season and looks well on his way to another fine campaign.
The Mavs were one of the highest scoring teams in the NBA last season, tallying 117 points per night, which landed them third in the league. During their three preseason contests, Rick Carlisle’s team averaged 122.3 points, which is certainly a positive sign in regards to their offense.
Dallas struggled on the defensive end last season, ranking 16th in the league. However, they went out and found the necessary reinforcements, bringing in veteran James Johnson and former 76er Josh Richardson.
German Maxi Kleber is also a player to keep a close eye on. The forward is a respectable scorer and defender who impressed in the preseason. He also put up career highs across the board in 2019-20 and with Kristaps Porzingis out for the beginning of the season, he will be a reliable part of the rotation for the Mavs.
The Suns Looking to Continue Dominance Over Dallas
Although their preseason was certainly not what they would have hoped for, Phoenix will be an enticing team to watch this season. After all, Monty Williams’ squad did play the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz twice apiece and didn’t have a full roster due to various minor injuries.
They certainly improved from start to end though. The Suns lost their first two by 14 and 19 points, respectively, to Utah, but then put up a solid fight against the defending champions in their last two meetings, losing by just one point in their finale.
They had five players who scored in double digits, led by Devin Booker who had 27 points and shot an impressive 57 percent from downtown.
With an already electric duo of Booker and DeAndre Ayton, Chris Paul should enhance both of their games. The experience and sheer talent he brings to Phoenix is making a lot of people believe this team can make the playoffs this season.
The ten-time All-Star played just two preseason contests due to ankle soreness, but did struggle to shoot the ball efficiently and registered seven turnovers. It was definitely out of character for Paul, but it’s important to note that chemistry is still being built.
It’s hard to forget how dominant the Suns were in the bubble just a few months ago, going a perfect 8-0 thanks to Booker’s outrageous offensive outburst. With more additions to their roster, it would be foolish to sleep on Phoenix this season.
Best Bet
There’s actually an interesting trend to note between these two teams. Although Phoenix has won the last three meetings, beforehand, Dallas won three straight.
I really like how the Mavericks played in the preseason and I believe Doncic is going to lead them to a victory on Wednesday. They’ll be especially hungry for a win knowing they haven’t beat the Suns since last November. It will be a close game, but it’s safe to bet against the spread here and go with Dallas.
Pick: Dallas ML -102
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.
