The top online betting sites have released their NBA odds for Game 3 between Dallas and Oklahoma City.
For your best bet, I will recommend investing in the Thunder.
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NBA Pick: Thunder +3 (-105) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Dallas Mavericks vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
Friday, May 11, 2024 – 03:30 PM ET at American Airlines Center
How Dallas Won Game 2
In Game 2, the Mavericks held off the Thunder and secured a nine-point victory.
A lot of unrepeatable things had to go Dallas’ way for this to happen. The main unrepeatable thing is the absurd three-point shooting disparity. Whereas the Mavericks made 18 three-pointers, shooting 48.6 percent from behind the arc, OKC shot 33.3 percent.
This disparity is unlikely to repeat itself because the Thunder own the best three-point shooting percentage in the NBA. Even their road three-point shooting percentage trumps Dallas’ home three-point shooting percentage, so the fact that Game 3 takes place in Dallas doesn’t alter my point.
In Game 2, Chet Holmgren was off for the Thunder, whereas Tim Hardaway Jr., played improbably well. One must expect players to play more like themselves in Game 3.
The Thunder Had Opportunities
It is worth noting that the Thunder had great opportunities to score more points in Game 2. The point here is that Dallas’ defense is even more vulnerable than the scoreboard suggests.
Partly due to its struggle with containing dribble penetration, Dallas failed to keep the Thunder from amassing great opportunities behind the arc.
Oklahoma City attempted 13 open three-pointers but converted just two of those attempts. Expect, in Game 3, more of those good opportunities to go in.
Luka Doncic
After Game 1, people were ready to write off Luka Doncic. Now, people are praising him.
Let’s try to take a more comprehensive look: Doncic has had good games in this postseason, but he’s been inconsistent in general and mostly bad from behind the arc at least partly due to his lingering knee problems – shooting, after all, requires you to bend your knees. For example, he followed up his best shooting performance against the Clippers with his second-to-worst one in that series.
The Thunder still have a strong assortment of wing defenders. Lu Dort, for example, looked great in Game 1. Both he and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are great defenders, having received votes for the NBA All-Defensive Team. Guard Cason Wallace has nice quickness that is especially useful against Luka’s fellow star teammate Kyrie Irving.
These defenders will do a more visibly solid job of containing Luka as well as the apparently less threatening Kyrie.
NBA Pick: Thunder +3 (-105) 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.