After six long months, your Dallas Mavericks are once again back on the floor playing real NBA basketball tonight. In a weird quirk, they’ve got the Houston Rockets, who they just played twice in Macau just a couple weeks ago. So, even with the newness of Dusty May and company taking over, the Rockets have already seen some of it.
It’s the start of a new season, and just like these teams, we here on the game of the week picks have wiped the slate clean. But, just for housekeeping’s sake, here’s how
we did last season.
Last year’s results
David: 31-30 (+$223)
Tyler: 26-37 (-$987)
Overall: 57-67 (-$764)
For me, this clean slate can’t be a more welcome sight. After our feed debut yesterday, in which we each hit our best bet, vibes are high! Lets get into the cap.
Game intangibles
Dallas Mavericks (0-0) at Houston Rockets (0-0)
Tipoff: We’re set for tip just after 7:40 p.m. from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas
How to watch: MavsTV, KFAA Channel 29, or NBA League Pass for those out of market will have you covered on this one
Game lines
Spread: Rockets -9.5 (-115)
Moneyline: Dallas is +315 to pull off the upset
Total: Over/Under is set at 230.5 points (-106/-114)
David’s plays
- Cooper Flagg over 21.5 points (-106)
- Game total over 230.5 (-106)
- Kyrie Irving over 20.5 points (-104)
- Zaccharie Risacher under 8.5 points (-108)
I think there will be points tonight. Lots of them. These teams just played two incredibly high-scoring preseason games and I do not expect anything different tonight. The lines for Flagg and Kyrie are simply too low. They will be the team’s leading scorers most nights and I expect around 25 from each of them against Houston. Risacher had a terrible preseason and I think he plays minimal minutes with Max Christie back tonight.
Tyler’s plays
- Marcus Smart over 6.5 points (-106)
- Reed Sheppard under 9.5 points (-136)
- Cooper Flagg over 1.5 3’s made (+162)
- Rockets first quarter -3.5 (-102)
The Smart and Sheppard plays are sort of correlated for me. Ime Udoka loves him some Marcus Smart, that even goes back to the Boston days. Ime Udoka also hates him some Reed Sheppard, as that guy can’t ever seemingly earn a role on a team that desperately needs shooting. I agree with David that Flagg, despite likely seeing a ton of Amen Thompson, will get his. I think that he will get those points by knocking down some outside shots. And finally, this first quarter will be simple. One team knows exactly who they are and what they want to be, while the other is breaking in a new coach, several new pieces and trying to reintegrate Kyrie Irving. Almost seems too easy.
