Thursday is a quiet night in the association, as there is only one game on the cards, with the Dallas Mavericks visiting the Jazz.
Despite holding a seven-point lead in the final four minutes of the game, Dallas lost to the Warriors 130-127.
The Mavericks are 1-5 this season in clutch games in which the score is five points or less in the final five minutes of regulation or overtime.
Last season, they had the second-best winning percentage (71.9%) in this category at 23-9.
Considering Dallas' defensive rating improved from a 114.9 rating to 110.9, it's easy to argue that they've been a bit unlucky this season.
The 5-6 Mavericks should move closer to a 7-4 record based on goal difference, according to ESPN's Relative Percentage Index.
Mavericks vs. Jazz odds
| table | spread | money line | total |
|---|---|---|---|
| mavericks | -9 (-112) | -395 | o231 (-110) |
| jazz | +9 (-108) | +310 | u231 (-110) |
The Mavericks are 9-point favorites to win this matchup, but one option bettors should stick with is to face the Jazz on team totals.
Utah's offense has struggled mightily, ranking last in efficiency at 104.5 points per 100 possessions.
They also rank last in field goal percentage (42.7%), despite ranking 20th in 3-point field goals (12.1 per game).
In the first matchup on October 28 in Dallas, the Mavs won 110-102, falling well short of the 232 total.
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Collin Sexton shot 9-of-11 (81.8%) from the field that night, while the rest of the Jazz went 25-of-81 (30.9%).
Therefore, this team has a hard time scoring in non-traditional settings.
The Jazz have scored fewer than 105 points in four of their last five games, so pushing them to go under the team total is almost automatic at this point.
Play: Jazz team total under 110.5 (-110, DraftKings)
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Michael Arinze handicaps most major sports for the New York Post. He has won two 15-leg teasers during his betting career, as well as 12-leg parlays, including eight games in the Little League World Series. Most recently, they accurately selected the finalists for the 2024 European Championship and Copa America.
