The NBA odds for Tuesday’s Game 1 between the Dallas Mavericks and Oklahoma City Thunder are available at the top-rated sportsbooks.
I will recommend investing in the Thunder for your best bet. And, if you want extra NBA coverage, check out our YouTube channel!
For an additional NBA best bet from our expert:
NBA Pick: Thunder -3.5 (-112) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Tuesday, May 07, 2024 – 09:30 PM ET at Paycom Center
OKC’s Guards on Defense
The Thunder will win Game 1 decisively because of the superior defensive play of their guards.
Luguentz Dort and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander both received votes for the NBA All-Defensive team.
They can bother Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. Doncic, bothered by his knee, is also not in his best form. He shot the ball poorly against a worse Clippers defense.
OKC’s defense is also deep, with Cason Wallace with his quick feet and quick hands – both features that make him well-suited to guard Kyrie – being another good guard for the Thunder defense.
The Rest of OKC’s Defense
Multiple good-wing defenders and Chet Holmgren embellish the rest of OKC’s defense.
With efficient shooter Maxi Kleber out, Dallas’ bigs are going to focus on attacking the basket, where they’ll have to contend with Holmgren’s rim protection.
Holmgren’s rim protection quality is evident in the high total of field goal attempts that he defends at the rim per game and in his excellent ability to limit opposing efficiency at the rim.
With great perimeter defenders and the likes of Holmgren, OKC is well-suited to limit Dallas offensively.
OKC’s Offense
The Mavericks are not remotely as well-equipped defensively.
Thunder offensive centerpiece Shai Gilgeous-Alexander does not have to deal with a Herb Jones-type player who can bother him.
Kleber’s absence is huge because of his versatility, which would have made him a good switch candidate on ball screens.
The Mavs now don’t have a big who is comfortable along the perimeter, which is a problem against a pick-and-pop stud like the versatile Holmgren.
They’ve had to play Kleber more and bench Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford because of the poor perimeter play of the latter two bigs.
Dallas is one of the worst teams at limiting three-point efficiency, which is something that the Thunder, as the NBA’s most efficient team from deep, can punish the Mavericks for.
The Pick
OKC’s stronger perimeter defense will be decisive in allowing the Thunder to win the battle from behind the arc, while Holmgren will help them win inside as well.
NBA Pick: Thunder -3.5 (-112) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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