Warriors Favored in Game 1
The Golden State Warriors welcome the Dallas Mavericks to San Francisco, where they will kick-off the Western Conference Finals as favorites to win Game 1 per the NBA odds. Golden State dispatched the Memphis Grizzlies in six games and are now the favorites to win the NBA championship. But all the talk has been on Dallas and its red-hot superstar.
Let’s check the latest NBA picks, stats, injury reports, and NBA odds for Mavericks vs Warriors. We’ve plenty of NBA playoffs odds for you to consider.
Mavericks Have Best Player
We’ve seen the analogies: This Dallas Mavericks’ playoff run is akin to the 2007 Cleveland Cavaliers, when a 22-year-old LeBron James carried a group of P.E. teachers to the NBA Finals. Now, Luka Doncic is doing the same thing with the Dallas Mavericks.
The Slovenian, who just turned 23 in February, lit up the top-seeded Phoenix Suns and led Dallas to what is one of the biggest butt-kickings in NBA playoff history. The Mavericks not only thrashed the Suns in Game 7, but they came back from a 2-0 series deficit and won three of their last four games as underdogs.
No. 4 seed Dallas has been a money train in the playoffs with a 9-4 record against the spread (ATS). Doncic is averaging 31.5 points, 10.1 boards and 6.6 assists. If he can continue to get just enough support from the team, the Mavericks could just continue cashing underdog bets online.
Warriors Not Impressed
Call it hubris, but the Golden State Warriors will be anything but starstruck when Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks roll into town. This is the Warriors’ first trip back to the conference finals in three seasons but it is also their sixth trip in eight seasons.
Third-seeded Golden State has beaten the likes of James Harden, Damian Lillard and Kevin Durant, so what is one more superstar in Doncic? The Warriors have the NBA’s second-best defense (best at home) and four current or former All-Stars on the roster (five if we count Andre Iguodala).
This team has the edge in experience and depth and, in what could be another long series, that is what counts. It shouldn’t be a surprise that Golden State is a significant favorite to win the series with the online sportsbook giving them a 65 percent chance of victory.
Mavericks vs Warriors Head-to-Head
The Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks own two of the best defenses in the NBA, though Dallas has won three of their four meetings this season. The biggest win did come from Golden State as the Warriors destroyed Dallas by 38 points.
Mavericks vs Warriors Game Information
- Game: Mavericks (52-30) vs Warriors (53-39)
- Location: Chase Center, San Francisco
- Day/Time: Wednesday, May 18th, 9 p.m. ET
- Mavericks vs Warriors Live stream: NBA Game Pass
Mavericks vs Warriors Betting Lines
Mavericks vs Warriors Prediction
The Dallas Mavericks have outplayed the Golden State Warriors when going by recent history. Dallas is 4-1 ATS versus Golden State and is 6-1 ATS in their last seven visits to Warriors territory. It is tempting to take Dallas here. The Mavericks have been one of the most profitable teams in the playoffs while the Warriors, who are just 2-6 ATS in their last eight, have not.
However, even if Doncic goes crazy and puts up a 30-point triple-double, Golden State can neutralize the rest of the team. The Warriors’ bench is also a bit more productive than that of the Mavericks, leading them in almost all categories. Unlike Phoenix, Golden State will not blow it.
