The Dallas Mavericks lost to the defending NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night before heading to Utah on Christmas Day to face the Jazz. Similarly, the Jazz also played on Thursday, defeating the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.
Although the Mavericks and Jazz just concluded their respective Thursday engagements, the NBA odds at the sportsbook exchange already shifted dramatically. .
- Game: Dallas Mavericks (15-16) at Utah Jazz (22-9)
- Location: Vivint Arena
- Day/Time: Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET
- Television: ESPN
Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz
Mavericks Beat Timberwolves
The Mavericks leveled the score with the Timberwolves, seizing the 114-102 win on Tuesday night all the while fielding a slew of replacements as the team deals with a number of Covid-19 cases and injuries.
Nine players in total, including three starters, missed Tuesday’s game due to the NBA’s health and safety protocol. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic, who missed his fifth straight game with an ankle injury on Tuesday, was placed on the COVID-19 list on Wednesday. Kristaps Porzingis (toe) sat out the last two games, including Thursday’s home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Despite these challenges, Dallas (15-16) is second in the Southwestern Division and sports an 8-8 record at home and a 7-8 mark on the road.
Against Minnesota, Jalen Brunson led the team with 28 points, two rebounds and six assists while Dorian Finney-Smith put up 19 points, six rebounds and five assists. In terms of the betting, Dallas’ win was an upset in betting online markets. The Mavericks closed as the +2 home underdogs after opening as the small home favorites.
Buzzer Beats Jazz
After the Utah Jazz saw an eight-game winning streak end with back-to-back home defeats to the San Antonio Spurs and Washington Wizards, they bounced back into the win column with a 112-102 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night.
Bojan Bogdanovic and Rudy Gobert each put up 23 points in Monday’s victory, with Gobert adding an impressive 21 rebounds to his credit along with two assists. Gobert added 20 points and 17 boards in Thursday’s win over the Timberwolves and leads the league with 15.1 rebounds on average per game – a good 1.6 rebounds more than the second-best rebounder in the league, Nikola Jokic.
Overall, the Jazz are flying high in the Western Conference, third overall with a 22-9 record. They are 12-6 at home and 10-3 on the road. In their last 12 games, they’re 10-2.
KCP ENDS THE UTAH JAZZ AT THE BUZZER!
— Quinton Mayo (@RealQuintonMayo) December 19, 2021
NBA Betting Predictions and Picks
The news of Doncic’s positive Covid test changes the outlook for this NBA betting preview. NBA lines and odds have been in circulation for the league’s veritable Christmas day feast for some time, so there’s a point of reference to work with along with the reality of the current situation.
It’s a bit of an honor to get the nod for the NBA Christmas’ slate. The Mavericks have only played two games on the national holiday since winning the title in 2011.
Dallas getting the call had a lot to do with the 22 year-old Doncic, a rising star in the league. The line more than doubled since he went into the health and safety protocol.
Reports were initially optimistic that Doncic would return from his ankle injury before he was added to the Covid-19 list. He did not accompany the team to Dallas and the early -5½ line in favor of the Jazz soared to -12.
The Jazz finished last season as the No.1 seed. They’re once again hobnobbing with the best in the league and setting the bar. They are in the top five for points per game, field goal percentage and three-point percentage. Then there is Gobert, who is practically gobbling up rebounds and raising Utah’s defensive profile in the standings.
At the face of it, this is a mismatch and the Jazz strike the more convincing pose for NBA picks. Even at -12, the Jazz appear to be the smart pick. This is especially true given the absence of Doncic and the uncertainty of the rest of the Mavs that are on the Covid-19 list.
Pick: Utah Jazz -12
The Dallas Mavericks lost to the defending NBA champions Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night before heading to Utah on Christmas Day to face the Jazz. Similarly, the Jazz also played on Thursday, defeating the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.
Although the Mavericks and Jazz just concluded their respective Thursday engagements, the NBA odds at the sportsbook exchange already shifted dramatically. .
- Game: Dallas Mavericks (15-16) at Utah Jazz (22-9)
- Location: Vivint Arena
- Day/Time: Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET
- Television: ESPN
Dallas Mavericks at Utah Jazz
Mavericks Beat Timberwolves
The Mavericks leveled the score with the Timberwolves, seizing the 114-102 win on Tuesday night all the while fielding a slew of replacements as the team deals with a number of Covid-19 cases and injuries.
Nine players in total, including three starters, missed Tuesday’s game due to the NBA’s health and safety protocol. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic, who missed his fifth straight game with an ankle injury on Tuesday, was placed on the COVID-19 list on Wednesday. Kristaps Porzingis (toe) sat out the last two games, including Thursday’s home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Despite these challenges, Dallas (15-16) is second in the Southwestern Division and sports an 8-8 record at home and a 7-8 mark on the road.
Against Minnesota, Jalen Brunson led the team with 28 points, two rebounds and six assists while Dorian Finney-Smith put up 19 points, six rebounds and five assists. In terms of the betting, Dallas’ win was an upset in betting online markets. The Mavericks closed as the +2 home underdogs after opening as the small home favorites.
Buzzer Beats Jazz
After the Utah Jazz saw an eight-game winning streak end with back-to-back home defeats to the San Antonio Spurs and Washington Wizards, they bounced back into the win column with a 112-102 win over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night.
Bojan Bogdanovic and Rudy Gobert each put up 23 points in Monday’s victory, with Gobert adding an impressive 21 rebounds to his credit along with two assists. Gobert added 20 points and 17 boards in Thursday’s win over the Timberwolves and leads the league with 15.1 rebounds on average per game – a good 1.6 rebounds more than the second-best rebounder in the league, Nikola Jokic.
Overall, the Jazz are flying high in the Western Conference, third overall with a 22-9 record. They are 12-6 at home and 10-3 on the road. In their last 12 games, they’re 10-2.
KCP ENDS THE UTAH JAZZ AT THE BUZZER!
— Quinton Mayo (@RealQuintonMayo) December 19, 2021
NBA Betting Predictions and Picks
The news of Doncic’s positive Covid test changes the outlook for this NBA betting preview. NBA lines and odds have been in circulation for the league’s veritable Christmas day feast for some time, so there’s a point of reference to work with along with the reality of the current situation.
It’s a bit of an honor to get the nod for the NBA Christmas’ slate. The Mavericks have only played two games on the national holiday since winning the title in 2011.
Dallas getting the call had a lot to do with the 22 year-old Doncic, a rising star in the league. The line more than doubled since he went into the health and safety protocol.
Reports were initially optimistic that Doncic would return from his ankle injury before he was added to the Covid-19 list. He did not accompany the team to Dallas and the early -5½ line in favor of the Jazz soared to -12.
The Jazz finished last season as the No.1 seed. They’re once again hobnobbing with the best in the league and setting the bar. They are in the top five for points per game, field goal percentage and three-point percentage. Then there is Gobert, who is practically gobbling up rebounds and raising Utah’s defensive profile in the standings.
At the face of it, this is a mismatch and the Jazz strike the more convincing pose for NBA picks. Even at -12, the Jazz appear to be the smart pick. This is especially true given the absence of Doncic and the uncertainty of the rest of the Mavs that are on the Covid-19 list.
