A 2018 draft day trade changed the fortunes of both the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks. The key pieces in that mega-deal will face off Wednesday night at American Airlines Center when Luka Doncic and the Mavs host Trae Young and the Hawks. Atlanta (11-12 SU, 12-11 ATS) has won 11 of the past 14 head-to-head meetings with Dallas (11-14 SU, 10-15 ATS).
- Date/Time: December 10, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Arena: American Airlines Center
- TV Coverage: ESPN
- Sportsbook Odds: Mavericks -3.5 | O/U 233.5 (Line History)
- Hawks vs Mavericks Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Dallas opened as a 3.5-point favorite, but the line has climbed to -4 (with the odd -4.5 in some spots). The total has also moved slightly, from 233.5 down to 233.
Atlanta News & Notes
Young isn’t quite on the same level as Doncic, who was originally selected third overall by Atlanta in 2018 and promptly flipped for Young and a 2019 first-rounder the Hawks used on Cam Reddish. Young has, however, emerged as a superstar in his own right, entering Wednesday’s action ranked 10th in the NBA in scoring (26.7 ppg) and third in assists (9.2 apg).
This game is expected to feature scoring galore, which means plenty of daily fantasy and player prop opportunities. One player to monitor on the Atlanta side: forward Kevin Huerter, who is seeing a greater usage rate with De’Andre Hunter shelved for up to 10 weeks with a knee injury. Huerter’s price hasn’t risen much across the industry, making him a great salary saver here.
Dallas News & Notes
Do you think the Hawks wish they had held on to Doncic? The talented guard is off to a terrific start to the season, ranked fifth in the NBA in scoring (27.8), second in assists (9.3) and 18th in rebounding (8.7). He showed Hawks fans what they’re missing out on a week ago, racking up 27 points, 14 assists and eight boards in a 122-116 victory in Atlanta.
Just as important to the Mavericks’ ultimate success is the continued presence of Kristaps Porzingis as a capable second option. Porzingis has shown tremendous reliability in his second season in Dallas, averaging 20.0 points and 8.6 rebounds while adding 1.6 blocks per game. He’ll be one of the highest-priced power forwards in DFS on Wednesday, but he’s worth the investment.
Betting Pick: Mavericks -4 (-110)
Even if Doncic and Young end up as a wash in this one, we’re much more confident in Dallas’s secondary options over the Hawks’ – particularly with Hunter sidelined.
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Buy Sports Picks Now- The Hawks are 5-1 ATS in their past 6 trips to Dallas.
- The Mavericks are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games.
- The UNDER is 4-1 in the last 5 head-to-head meetings.
