The Dallas Mavericks are dealing with a much bigger problem than a five-game losing streak ahead of Monday night’s rematch with the visiting Phoenix Suns. Dallas (8-12 SU, 9-11 ATS) is tumbling down the Western Conference standings entering a second straight meeting with Phoenix (10-8 SU, 10-8 ATS), prompting star guard Luka Doncic to question his teammates’ will to win.
- Date/Time: February 1, 8:30 p.m. ET
- Arena: American Airlines Center
- TV Coverage: NBA TV
- Sportsbook Odds: Mavericks -1 | O/U 219.5 (Line History)
- Suns vs Mavericks Matchup Report
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
The Mavericks opened the betting as 1-point favorites, but that line has since risen to -1.5 in some spots. The total, on the other hand, has held steady at 219.5.
Phoenix News & Notes
The Suns have rebounded nicely after losing their first two games with sharpshooting guard Devin Booker (hamstring) out of the lineup, trouncing the Golden State Warriors 114-93 before holding off the Mavericks 111-105 for their first winning streak since the end of the 2020 calendar year. Phoenix comes in having won each of its past five trips to American Airlines Center.
Whether Booker returns Monday or not (he’s officially listed as questionable), Phoenix’s quest for a third straight win will almost certainly fall on the capable shoulders of Chris Paul. The star point guard has hit another gear with the Suns, averaging 8.7 assists, his highest total in that category in four years. He’s a decent DFS play Monday with his salary still reasonable.
Dallas News & Notes
Doncic was refreshingly blunt when asked to vocalize his frustrations with the Mavericks’ recent play, telling reporters: “I would say right now it’s looking like we don’t care, honestly, if we win games or not.”
Dallas’s struggles are evident at both ends of the court – the Mavs have allowed an average of 119.4 points during their losing streak, while averaging just 106 points themselves.
Doncic should be sufficiently motivated in Monday’s rematch with Phoenix, but his daily fantasy salary is so high that it prohibits what you can do with the rest of your lineup. If you’re looking for a more affordable way into this Dallas lineup, the superior option might just be power forward Kristaps Porzingis. He sat out the first game vs the Suns after having played the night before.
Betting Pick: UNDER 219.5 (-110)
These teams combined to shoot just under 50 percent in their first meeting and still fell short of the 220-point plateau. Expected shooting regression Monday only galvanizes the UNDER as the superior play here.
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Buy Sports Picks Now- Phoenix is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games vs Dallas.
- Dallas is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games.
- The UNDER is 11-4 in Phoenix’s last 15 games vs the West.
