Though the vast majority of NBA teams have already tipped off the 2021-22 regular season, a pair of intriguing franchises face off in a season opener on Thursday. The Dallas Mavericks travel to Georgia to take on the Atlanta Hawks in a spotlight matchup. The Mavericks, led by Luka Doncic, aim to make a dent in the Western Conference this season. The Hawks, led by Trae Young, look to replicate their run to the Eastern Conference Finals from the 2020-21 season.
Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET in Atlanta. Caesars Sportsbook lists Atlanta as a 2.5-point home favorite, while the over-under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 225.5 in the latest Mavericks vs. Hawks odds. Before making any Hawks vs. Mavericks picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned almost $9,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three seasons. The model finished up almost $600 on its top-rated picks last season and enters the 2021-22 NBA season on a stunning 100-66 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Mavs vs. Hawks and just released its coveted NBA picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s NBA picks and analysis. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting trends for Hawks vs. Mavs:
Mavericks vs. Hawks spread: Hawks -2.5 Mavericks vs. Hawks over-under: 225.5 points Mavericks vs. Hawks money line: Hawks -140, Mavericks +120 DAL: The Mavericks are 23-17 against the spread in the last 40 road games ATL: The Hawks are 27-17 against the spread in the last 44 home games
Featured Game | Atlanta Hawks vs. Dallas Mavericks
Why the Mavericks can cover
Dallas is one of the NBA’s best offensive teams, headlined by Doncic. The Mavericks finished No. 8 in the NBA in offensive rating last season, scoring nearly 1.15 points per possession, and Dallas produced nearly 1.17 points per possession in the second half of the 2020-21 campaign. Doncic is the engine that makes the team run, but the Mavericks are also fantastic at avoiding turnovers, committing a giveaway on only 12.3 percent of possessions. Atlanta was a bottom-five team in turnover creation defensively last season, further bolstering the Mavericks’ position.
On the defensive side, the Mavericks are solid, including top-three marks in the NBA in assists allowed (22.7 per game) and points allowed off turnovers (14.6 per game). Dallas will wall off the paint, with the No. 7 mark in the NBA in points in the paint allowed (45.2 per game), and the Mavericks have the athletes to contest shots at a high level all over the floor.
Why the Hawks can cover
Atlanta finished last season as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, but the Hawks were totally different under Nate McMillan’s leadership. The then-interim head coach led the Hawks to a 27-11 record prior to a well-documented run to the Eastern Conference Finals, flipping the script on a team that started 14-20. Atlanta returns every key piece from the 2020-21 team, headlined by Young. Young is one of the NBA’s best offensive creators, averaging 25.3 points and 9.4 assists a year ago, and Atlanta has been an elite offensive team whenever he steps on the floor.
Elsewhere, the Hawks have a pair of dynamic big men in Clint Capela and John Collins. Capela anchors the team’s defense, leading the NBA in rebounding last season (14.3 per game) and finishing strongly at the rim on the offensive side. Collins is one of the NBA’s best finishers, averaging 17.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game last season, and his development as a defender and perimeter shooter (64.5 percent true shooting) has been integral for the Hawks.
How to make Mavericks vs Hawks picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, projecting that the teams will combine for 223 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations. You can only get the model’s Hawk vs. Mavericks pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Mavericks vs. Hawks? And which side of the spread hits in well over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Mavericks vs. Hawks spread you need to jump on Thursday, all from the model that has crushed its NBA picks, and find out.
