The Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns have split the first four games of their Western Conference playoff series and the home team is yet to lose. The Suns are favored on the NBA odds to take Game 5 on Tuesday back in the desert.
How to Bet Mavericks at Suns NBA Odds & TV Info
- When: Tuesday, 10 PM ET
- Where: Footprint Center
- TV: TNT
- Stream: TNT app
- Radio: Tunein.com
- NBA Odds: Suns -6 (total 213)
Why Bet on Dallas?
The Mavericks took Game 4 on Sunday, 111-101. Luka Doncic accounted for 26 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds and four steals. Doncic just 1-of-10 from beyond the arc but he was able to impact Game 4 in other areas. With the series now tied at two games apiece, the Mavericks will need more of the same from Doncic if they are to win Game 5. Doncic now ranks third all-time on the NBA’s list of most points scored in a player’s first 20 postseason games (Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain occupy the top two spots on the list).
Dorian Finney-Smith shot 8-of-12 from three in Sunday’s win for 24 points with eight rebounds. Finney-Smith had his best game of the series was a big reason why the Mavericks won despite Doncic struggling from deep. Dallas’ other players combined to shoot 19-of-34 from distance, with Finney-Smith and Davis Bertans (12 points, one rebound, and four 3-pointers) leading the way.
The eight threes by Finney-Smith are one shy of the Mavs’ postseason record set by Jason Terry. In each of his six NBA seasons, Finney-Smith has improved his three-point shooting from the year before. It started at 29.3 percent as a rookie and he wound up shooting a healthy 39.5 percent from downtown this season.
“I can remember early in my career (then-Mavericks coach Rick) Carlisle telling me don’t shoot any threes unless it’s late in the shot clock,” Finney-Smith said. “Now they’re telling me to shoot it as soon as I got a good look. It’s just a test to the work I put in and a test to the work everybody on the team seen me put in.”
Brunson logged 18 points on Sunday. After scoring just 22 points through the first two games of the series, Brunson has collected 46 during the next two contests in Dallas.
The Mavericks shot and made just one more free throw than the Suns. The only critical difference in offensive efficiency was the Mavericks’ 20 3-point shots that found the net. The Suns made only nine. The Mavericks shot 44 of them. The Suns shot 25. The Mavericks made 45.5 percent, the Suns 36 percent.
The Mavericks have been good all season at not turning the ball over. They had just 11 turnovers in Game 4. The Suns gave it away 17 times, which led to 23 Mavericks’ points off turnovers, a dozen more than the Suns got off of the Mavericks’ miscues.
Why Bet on Phoenix?
After looking like the far more superior team through the first two games of the series, the Suns just didn’t look the same in Dallas. Chris Paul’s foul (10) and turnover (nine) totals combined outpaced his scoring output in the two-game stretch (17)
The big story of Game 4 was Paul fouling out. He played just 23 minutes before leaving and totaled only five points. He struggled in Game 3 and was even worse in Game 4, picking up four fouls before the end of the second quarter. Paul wasn’t able to offer much in the way of production for that reason, and his absence contributed to Phoenix’s struggles on both ends of the floor.
With five seconds remaining in the first half, Paul drove to the bucket for a floater that bounced off the rim. He made contact with Mavs star Luka Doncic while attempting to corral the rebound, sending Doncic to the free-throw line with 1.1 seconds left in the half. It was Paul’s fourth foul.
Devin Booker attempted to pick up Paul’s slack in the Suns backcourt. But his 35 points and 11 assists were no match for the Mavericks’ shooting onslaught. Deandre Ayton added 14 points and 11 rebounds. Beyond Ayton, Mikal Bridges’ scoring punch is nowhere to be found. Cameron Payne’s effectiveness continues to be an issue.
As a team, the Suns posted 17 turnovers in back-to-back outings for the second time this season. The only other time Phoenix turned the ball over at least 17 times in back-to-back games was during a pair of regular games last December against the Wizards (19) and the Bulls (17).
Phoenix’s Monty Williams was named the 2021-22 NBA Coach of the Year. Monday. He led the Suns to a league-best, 64-win season and the No. 1 seed out West, despite missing some of his stars for extended stretches throughout the year.
Game Trends
- Mavericks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
- Mavericks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Mavericks are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
- Suns are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games.
- Suns are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Mavericks are 6-17 ATS in the last 23 meetings.
Expert Prediction
- Suns 104, Mavericks 102