Mavericks vs. Suns prediction, odds, pick – 12/27/2024
12/27/2024 09:09 AM
The Dallas Mavericks will face the Phoenix Suns on Friday at the Footprint Center. It’s a battle in the desert as we share our NBA odds series and make a Mavericks-Suns prediction and pick.
The Suns lead the head-to-head series 99-78. Recently, the Suns edged out the Mavericks 114-113 in Dallas on November 8, 2024. Before that, the Suns trounced the Mavericks 114-102 on October 26, 2024. The Suns are 14-4 over the past 18 games against the Mavericks and 6-4 over 10 games. Also, they are 3-2 over the past five games at home against the Mavericks.
Here are the Mavericks-Suns NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Mavericks-Suns Odds
Dallas Mavericks: +2 (-110)
Moneyline: +108
Phoenix Suns: -2 (-110)
Moneyline: -126
Over: 224.5 (-110)
Under: 224.5 (-110)
How To Watch Mavericks vs. Suns
Time: 9 PM ET/6 PM PT
TV: Arizona Family and KFAA
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why the Mavericks Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Mavericks got the worst kind of present on Christmas Day, as Luka Doncic suffered a calf injury, which will cause him to miss some extended time. It was already a bad day for the Mavs, as they were struggling to keep up with the Minnesota Timberwolves and ultimately fell to them.
Kyrie Irving will still be available, and he is went off on Christmas Day for 39 points. Now, he may need to do more with Doncic out. Irving averages 24 points per game while shooting 49.1 percent from the floor, including 44.4 percent from the three-point line. Klay Thompson must do more to help them win. Unfortunately, he struggled on Christmas Day when he scored just 12 points while shooting 4 for 12. That will not be enough to beat most teams, and with Doncic out, it will need to change.
The Mavs need more out of PJ Washington Jr. and Dereck Lively. Together, they combined to shoot 6 for 15 on Christmas Day and must pick up the slack. Of course, the poor shooting was one reason why the Mavs lost. They also struggled to win the board battle and turned the ball over more than the Timberwolves. Additionally, they allowed the Wolves to shoot 43.8 percent from beyond the arc.
The Mavericks will cover the spread if they can shoot the basketball well and convert on their shooting chances. Then, they must win the board battle and avoid turning it over.
Why the Suns Could Cover the Spread/Win
The Suns ended a two-fame Christmas Day losing streak by beating the Denver Nuggets, thanks in part to a good game by Bradley Beal. Overall, he had a great night on both sides of the floor. Beal scored 27 points while shooting 11 for 21 from the floor, including 3 for 7 from beyond the arc. Then, he turned it up on defense, blocking one shot and adding four steals to pace the team. Beal was the perfect example of all-around basketball and was a +12 on the floor on Christmas Day.
Kevin Durant also had a good game but to a slightly lesser extent. Ultimately, he scored 27 points while shooting 9 for 26. He finished with two blocked shots and two steals. Meanwhile, Tyus Jones had 17 points while shooting 7 for 9, including 3 for 5 from the triples.
Devin Booker did not play on Christmas Day due to a groin injury. Unfortunately, he has missed a few games with this injury and might not play in this game despite doing some court work. Because of that, the Suns might need to rely heavily on Beal and Durant again, with Jones also helping out.
The Suns shot the ball well on Christmas Day but struggled from beyond the arc. Also, they lost the board battle. However, one thing that helped them was their ability to steal the basketball. While the offense struggled at times, the defense picked them up.
The Suns will cover the spread if Beal and Durant can continue shooting the basketball well. Then, they must continue to play good defense against a team that will be missing their top star.
Final Mavericks-Suns Prediction & Pick
The Mavericks are 17-12-1 against the spread, while the Suns are 10-19 against the odds. Moreover, the Mavs are 8-6-1 against the spread on the road, while the Suns are 5-11 against the odds at home. The Mavericks are 12-9-1 against the spread when facing the Western Conference, while the Suns are 10-10 against the odds when facing the West.
While losing Doncic will be a big blow, it is almost canceled out by the Suns not having Booker. If Booker returns, I can see the Suns rolling. Yet, I am going with the assumption that he will be out. Regardless, I think the Suns will win this game and cover the tiny spread.
Final Mavericks-Suns Prediction & Pick: Phoenix Suns: -2 (-110)
The post Mavericks vs. Suns prediction, odds, pick – 12/27/2024 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
