Why the Mavericks’ Next Move Could Exploit the Nets’ Most Vulnerable Moment Yet

After the whirlwind excitement of Wild Card Weekend, you might be wondering if there’s a sports lull settling in… but don’t pack away your enthusiasm just yet! Tonight’s Nets vs. Mavericks game at 8:30 ET promises its own share of intrigue—and, yes, some questionable bets I’ve been burned on before. With the Nets hanging tough at 11-25 thanks to the underrated Michael Porter Jr. and the unstoppable scoring streaks of Cam Thomas, can they outshine the Mavs, who are limping at 14-25 with injuries sidelining key players like Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving? And here’s a quick brain teaser for you: if rookies like Cooper Flagg are shouldering the weight while veterans sit out, does that shake the entire landscape of what a “team effort” really means? Plus, travel woes and the mysterious road game slump will spice things up as Dallas looks to capitalize on Brooklyn’s back-to-back fatigue. Ready to dive into the chaos of role players trying to carve their mark and stretched squads battling wear and tear? Buckle up! LEARN MORE

Nets vs. Mavs, 8:30 ET

After a really successful and enjoyable Wild Card Weekend, I’m looking forward to some of the other things that are on the agenda for our sports betting calendar. There are still a ton of hockey games, College Basketball fills my Tuesday nights, and we are starting to get some trickles of signings from the baseball free agency. Don’t be sad that the NFL is almost gone. Instead, be thankful we have so much else to enjoy until it returns. One game I’m looking forward to tonight is the Nets taking on the Mavs.

The Nets are 11-25 for the season, and that record actually might be a reflection of them performing better than expected. I suppose any NBA team has the talent to compete in any game, but the reality is that the Nets are a team of role players. Michael Porter Jr. has been very good for them as the “leading man.” That is certainly a role he always wanted to play, and I’m not saying the Nuggets held him back, because injuries did their share, but this is likely something that was mutually beneficial. Outside of MPJ, the Nets have Cam Thomas, a microwave scorer, who, frankly, I don’t think gets enough credit for just how many buckets this guy makes. If you don’t watch a lot of basketball, there are a few guys who are uniquely enjoyable to watch when they are on a hot streak. Steph Curry is an obvious one, but Thomas is up there for me. The dude just pours in buckets, and, to be transparent, has ruined more than one of my bets.

The Mavericks are 14-25, and who would’ve thought that trading a generational talent for a skilled player who is often injured would make your team struggle? I know I need to move on, but the franchise needs to be bashed for it as much as possible regardless of if they potentially got another one in Cooper Flagg or not. Anthony Davis is once again injured and will not be out there. I hate to pile on a dude, because I’m sure he would rather be out on the court, but this was the risk that was well-known before trading for him. Also, in fairness to Nico Harrison, the combination of Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Cooper Flagg, is probably better than Luka Doncic and Irving, at least for one year. With both Davis and Irving out, you’re asking Flagg to do basically everything for this team. He is certainly capable, but even the best rookies will struggle with this workload.

In the NBA, and in college, for whatever reason, most players, especially the “average” or role player guys, are just not quite as good on the road. There are some who exceed expectations, and some who have a good year, but for the most part this is a constant that you can rely on. The Nets are not a disciplined team, nor are they one with a ton of good players. The Nets, collectively, do average one more point on the road than at home. However, it seems like only Porter Jr. increases his individual scoring. Some guys, like Zaire Williams and Egor Demin drop significantly. Brooklyn has been surprisingly good on the road this season even ATS 9-6-1, but 0-6 ATS in a back-to-back situation this yaer, which this is. Dallas doesn’t often take advantage of that rest advantage, but I think they will here. Give me the Mavs -3.5.

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