Spurs vs. Mavericks: 3 Best Bets

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Despite a historical performance against the Toronto Raptors by Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs have not excelled as of late. They just snapped a seven-game losing streak and will have a tough matchup tonight as they take on the Dallas Mavericks.
The Mavericks are riding a five-game win streak and look like legitimate title contenders. They added PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford before the trade deadline, and are all-in on a Luka-led playoff run.
Dallas has already beaten the Spurs twice this season and is expected to make it three in a row tonight. The Spurs have a clean injury report, but Dallas will be without Dante Exum and Greg Brown III. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are both probable, and Dereck Livley II and Maxi Kleber are questionable.
Keep it posted here for our three best bets, powered by the lines at SI Sportsbook.
The Lines
Point spread: Mavericks -11.5 (-105)/Spurs +11.5 (-118)
Money line: Mavericks (-654)/Spurs (+430)
Over/under: 242.5
Our Picks
Safe pick: Victor Wembanyama OVER 22.5 points (-133)
In the game against Toronto, Wembanyama looked like one of the best players in the world. While it's unlikely that he will post another triple-double, he will show out tonight. He missed the Spurs' second game against Dallas after tripping over an employee's foot, and his first matchup with the Mavs-his first NBA game-he posted 15 points. Now that he's seasoned, expect a big night especially if Lively doesn't play.
Opponent pick: Luka Doncic UNDER 32.5 points (-133)
With Wembanyama down low, Doncic will have trouble getting to the rim. No matter, he can score from deep, right? Wrong, because he will have to go up against Jeremy Sochan, who held Scottie Barnes to 2-of-14 shooting. Dubbed "the Polish Prison," Doncic will have trouble scoring on Sochan and Wemby.
Spurs vs. Mavs: 5 Questions Ahead of Final Game Before All-Star
Team pick: OVER 242.5 total points (-110)
In the previous two matchups, this line was blown out of the water, and Wembanyama either didn't play or was making his debut. Tonight, a full-strength Spurs team should feel the wrath of the new-look Mavericks but will bring some offensive power of their own, thanks to a combo of Wembanyama and Devin Vassell.

Jonah Kubicek has been writing about the NBA since 2021, covering the Pistons, Jazz, Spurs, Magic, Rockets, and Knicks. As a lifelong Spurs fan living in Michigan, he never misses an opportunity to bring up the 2005 NBA Finals (you should have guarded Horry!). He is a long-suffering Tigers fan and closely follows the NFL, although he never found an affinity for the Lions. Jonah graduated from Oakland University with a degree in History and spends his spare time playing tennis or reading. Follow Jonah on Twitter for updates on Tre Jones and other NBA news.
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