The Phoenix Suns (33-22) travel to play the Dallas Mavericks (32-23) on Thursday evening. This is the third matchup of the season between these foes after they’ve split the first two, and on Jan. 24, Phoenix beat Dallas 132-109. The Mavericks have hit the Under in 20 of their last 30 games, while the Suns have hit the 1H money line in 23 of their last 35 away games. Bradley Beal (hamstring) is questionable for Phoenix.
Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. The Mavs are 1.5-point favorites in the latest Suns vs. Mavericks odds, while the over/under for total points scored is 245 according to SportsLine consensus. Before making any Mavericks vs. Suns picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 18 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 60-36 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning nearly $2,300. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Suns vs. Mavericks. You can head to SportsLine now to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Mavericks vs. Suns:
Suns vs. Mavericks spread: Dallas -1.5
Suns vs. Mavericks over/under: 245 points
Suns vs. Mavericks money line: Dallas -123, Phoenix +103
PHO: The Suns are 5-1 ATS in their last six games
DAL: The Mavericks are 4-1 ATS in their last five games played on a Thursday
Suns vs. Mavericks picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Suns can cover
Guard Beal (questionable) is getting more into the flow as the season goes on. Beal has good shooting range to stretch out the defense while getting to the lane regularly. The Florida product logs 18.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. In the Feb. 8 win over the Jazz, Beal had 30 points and seven assists.
Guard Grayson Allen fits into his role perfectly. Allen can get hot in a flash due to his jumper and does a good job slashing to the rim. The Duke product averages 12.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per contest. On Feb. 13, Allen had 19 points, four assists, and made two threes. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why the Mavericks can cover
Guard Luka Doncic is one of the best playmakers in the game. Doncic doesn’t beat defenders with his athleticism but does it with his IQ instead. The five-time All-Star leads the NBA in scoring (34.2) and ranks third in assists (9.5). In his last outing, Doncic finished with 27 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists.
Guard Kyrie Irving is another fearless force in the backcourt. Irving uses his shifty ball handles and utilizes his sweet jumper to space out the floor. The Duke product logs 25.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. In the Feb. 14 meeting against the Spurs, Irving notched 34 points, nine boards, and seven assists. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Mavericks vs. Suns picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 242 points. The model also says one side hits in almost 60% of simulations. You can only see the picks at SportsLine.