Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets: Picks, Predictions, Odds and Player Props

The Dallas Mavericks have disappointed through the early weeks of the season, going 5-4 and sitting 10th in the Western Conference, despite many tipping them to go one better this time around after their defeat to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals last term.

Jason Kidd will be keen to get back to winning ways after a painful last-second defeat to the Phoenix Suns on Friday but he may have to wait a little longer to do so, with his Mavs facing a tough task against the Nuggets on Sunday. 

Denver have won four games on the spin and the hosts will be full of confidence ahead of this clash at the Ball Arena in Colorado. 

Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets betting picks and predictions

Denver Nuggets -5.5 @ -110

On paper, a four-game win streak is always impressive, but delving into who the Nuggets have beaten in their recent run makes their form all the more outstanding. The run began with expected wins over the struggling Jazz and Raptors, but the last two results have really caught the eye. 

Denver handed the then 7-0 Oklahoma City Thunder a first defeat of the campaign, despite being without their star guard Jamal Murray, before landing a convincing 13-point victory over the Miami Heat, who are usually defensively astute. 

Their confidence will be sky-high after such a run and the fact they were leading by 14 points heading into the last quarter meant they were able to rotate regularly in the final 12 minutes, giving them a huge fitness advantage over the Mavericks, who were not afforded such a luxury in their last outing. 

Dallas fought until literally the last second against Phoenix, losing to a Jusuf Nurkic free throw with just 0.8 seconds remaining, and their injury-hit roster will surely be feeling the effects of such a grueling defeat. 

A poor record against Denver also tempers enthusiasm in the visitors. The Mavericks have lost their last three visits to the Ball Arena, being defeated by at least nine points in each of those reverses. 

With the Nuggets in strong form and the Mavericks potentially without a number of players - Luka Doncic, P. J. Washington, Maxi Kleber and Dereck Lively II all face game-time decisions - backing Denver to convincingly beat Dallas again could prove to be the route to profit. 

Under 231.0 total points @ -110

While Denver may dominate at the Ball Arena, a scoring frenzy is unlikely to occur in Colorado. 

If Doncic, a genuine MVP contender, is unavailable, Dallas may struggle to get a foothold in the game and will therefore offer up little support for a high points tally, something which is uncommon in their matches anyway, even with the Slovenian playing. 

Just one of the Mavericks’ last 10 away games have featured over 230 points, with the same line being missed in 17 of their last 20 outings overall. 

The Nuggets rely heavily on Nikola Jokic’s output and while he is consistent, his supporting cast can often miss plenty of shots, with Murray, Russell Westbrook and Michael Porter Jr all guilty of being inconsistent with the rock. 

The Mavericks have the defenders to keep this affair low-scoring, even if being beaten comfortably in Denver, so back the under. 

Kyrie Irving over 4.5 assists @ -110

Should Doncic fail his late fitness test, the onus will be on Kyrie Irving to lead the Mavericks in Denver, and he may be up to the challenge. 

Irving has impressed from a playmaking perspective this season, averaging 4.8 assists per game, and he seems to relish road matches, perhaps more so than his teammates, notching five assists in each of his two away outings. 

The former Cleveland Cavaliers star has also enjoyed playing the Nuggets throughout his career, averaging an impressive 24.2 points and 6.3 assists in his clashes with Denver since his first appearance against them back in 2012. 

Irving managed seven and nine assists in his two appearances against Denver last term and could easily hit a line of over 4.5 on Sunday, with the odds of +375 for The Ankletaker to provide seven also making appeal for those seeking a bigger-priced bet. 

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Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets odds

Dallas Mavericks	+165 ML
Denver Nuggets	-200 ML
Spread	Nuggets -5.5
Total Points	O/U 231.0

Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets player props

Player Points

Luka Doncic	Over 31.5 -120
Nikola Jokic	Over 27.5 -115
Kyrie Irving	Over 24.5 -115
Jamal Murray	Over 20.5 -120
Michael Porter jnr	Over 18.5 -115
Klay Thompson	Over 14.5 -105

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.