NBA Betting: Top Picks for Mavs vs. Blazers - Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Anfernee Simons
Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks are home to host Jerami Grant and the Portland Trail Blazers for the second straight game on Friday night.
In Wednesday night's 126-97 blowout victory against Portland, the Mavericks came out the gate firing on all cylinders, scoring 78 first-half points as Doncic and Kyrie Irving combined for 52 points after the first 24 minutes and never looked back. Doncic finished with 41 points, six rebounds, and five assists while Irving looked like himself in his second-game back after injury, finishing with 29 points, nine rebounds, and five assists.
“I can’t be passive; that’s not my personality," Irving told Bally Sports Southwest. "I really want to come out aggressive and set the tone defensively and offensively. I'm grateful that I got a chance to do that tonight."
For the Trail Blazers, they really struggled to score and protect the ball on Wednesday, shooting just 39 percent from the field and turning the ball over 22 times.
Notable Injuries
Mavericks: Dereck Lively II (left ankle sprain) and Grant Williams (right ankle sprain) are questionable. Dante Exum (right heel contusion) and Richaun Holmes (personal reasons) are doubtful. Maxi Kleber (right small toe dislocation) is out.
Trail Blazers: Jabari Walker (left knee soreness) is doubtful. Deandre Ayton (right knee tendinitis) is out.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Check out the the betting lines and player props below, courtesy of SI Sportsbook.
The Lines
Point Spread: Trail Blazers (+10.5) / Mavericks (-10.5)
Money Line: Trail Blazers (+390) / Mavericks (-568)
Over/Under: 238.5
Player Props / Our Picks
Luka Doncic O/U 34.5 Points: Over
Doncic is averaging 33.7 points per game on the season and scored 41 points against the Trail Blazers on Wednesday. Look for No. 77 to continue his hot streak of scoring in the rematch on Friday.
Kyrie Irving O/U 29.5 Points + Assists: Over
Irving is fresh off dropping 29 points and five assist against Portland on 10-of-19 shooting from the field and 4-of-8 from downtown in Wednesday's win. Look for Irving to follow up that performance with another strong showing on Friday.
Anfernee Simons O/U 24.5 Points: Over
Through 12 games played this season, Simons is averaging 26,7 points per game. in Wednesday's contest, Simons scored just 15 points, only the third time all season that he's scored below 24 points in a game. Look for Simons to bounce back against Dallas.
Prediction: Pending the availability of Lively and Williams, Friday's game could look a tad different than Wednesday's blowout victory for the Mavs. Take Portland +10.5 to cover but Dallas to win.
