Dallas Mavs Top 3 Betting Picks vs. Denver Nuggets: Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Dante Exum

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Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks hit the road to take on Nikola Jokic and the defending champion Denver Nuggets on Monday night. 

The Mavs outlasted the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night, 131-120. Doncic led the way for Dallas, finishing with 40 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists on 15-of-28 shooting from the floor, passing Wilt Chamberlain with the fourth-most 40-point triple-doubles in NBA history.

The Nuggets are coming off a last-second loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday, 118-117. Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hit a fadeaway mid-range jumper with just over one second remaining to clinch the game for OKC to snap a three-game winning streak for Denver.

Notable Injuries

Mavericks: Richaun Holmes (illness) is questionable. Kyrie Irving (right heel contusion), Dereck Lively II (left ankle sprain), Josh Green (right elbow sprain), and Maxi Kleber (right small toe dislocation) are out.

Nuggets: Jamal Murray (ankle sprain) and Aaron Gordon (right heel strain) are probable. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (concussion protocol) is questionable. 

Mavs' Tim Hardaway Jr. shoots a fadeaway jumper over Nuggets' Michael Porter Jr.  / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Check out the the betting lines and player props below, courtesy of SI Sportsbook.

The Lines

Point Spread: Mavericks (+7.5) / Nuggets (-7.5)

Money Line: Mavericks (+235) / Nuggets (-333)

Over/Under: 237.5

Player Props / Our Picks

Luka Doncic O/U 34.5 Points: Over

On the season, Doncic is averaging a career-high 32.7 points per game but over the last eight games, has erupted to is average 37.0 points per night while shooting 49 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3-point range. Look for Doncic to keep his hot streak going.

Dante Exum O/U 17.5 Points + Assists: Over

Over the last five games in the starting lineup with Irving out, Exum has exploded for Dallas, averaging 17.7 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.6 assists on 68 percent shooting from the field and 65 percent from downtown. Take Exum to continue his production against the Nuggets.

Nikola Jokic O/U 40.5 Points + Rebounds: Over

This seems like a night-to-night over for Jokic but with Lively out of the lineup for Dallas, that opens up the paint and glass for the two-time MVP. Take the over.

Prediction: Despite being without Irving, the Mavs are playing some good basketball right now. But, with the loss of Lively in Monday night's starting lineup, that gives a significant edge to the defending champs. Take Dallas +7.5 to cover the spread but Denver to win. 



Published
Michael Mulford
MICHAEL MULFORD

Michael Mulford is a writer/editor for Dallas Basketball, where he extensively covers the Dallas Mavericks. He also covers the Chicago Bulls as the Managing Editor for Bulls Wire of USA Today Sports Media Group. Mulford grew up in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and graduated from the University of North Texas in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Recreation, Event, and Sports Management. He began his pursuit of sports writing in 2017 with Dallas Sports Fanatic, where he covered the Mavericks’ G League affiliate, Texas Legends. He then became the Managing Editor of Dallas Sports Fanatic just one year later and has covered the Mavericks as a credentialed media member since 2018, including covering numerous playoff games between 2021-22 and covering the team at NBA Summer League in Las Vegas in 2019. In his time covering the Mavericks, Mulford has conducted numerous interviews for exclusive stories including with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, former Maverick and current VP of Basketball Ops Michael Finley, former Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson, and more. You can follow and interact with Mulford on Twitter at @TheMulf.