The Dallas Mavericks (43-27) wrap up a five-game road trip with the second game of a back-to-back Saturday night taking on the Charlotte Hornets (35-35). Tip-off is 7 p.m. ET at Spectrum Center. Below, we look at the Mavericks vs. Hornets odds and lines, and make our expert NBA picks, predictions and bets.
The Mavericks won the first three games of their road swing but lost Friday, 111-101, to the Philadelphia 76ers. They have won eight of their last 10 games, 14 of their last 18 and are in fifth place in the Western Conference. The Mavs trail the Utah Jazz by a game for the No. 4 seed, which would have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
The Hornets are on the second game of a five-game homestand. They have won their last three games and five of their last seven. They are an even .500 for the season, but also are .500 both at home and on the road this season. Charlotte stands in 10th place in the Eastern Conference with 12 games to go.
Mavericks at Hornets odds, spread and lines
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11:08 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Mavericks +100 (bet $100 to win $100) | Hornets -120 (bet $120 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Mavericks +1.5 (-112) | Hornets -1.5 (-108)
- Over/Under (O/U): 223.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
Mavericks at Hornets key injuries
Mavericks
- G Spencer Dinwiddie (knee) out
- F Reggie Bullock (personal) probable
Hornets
- F Gordon Hayward (ankle) out
Mavericks at Hornets odds, lines, picks and predictions
Prediction
Mavericks 115, Hornets 113
Money line
The Mavericks blew out the Hornets in Dallas 120-96 back on Dec. 13.
Dallas is 20-15 on the road this season and has won seven of their last road contests. Their loss on Friday snapped a five-game road winning streak. They will not have sharpshooting SG Spencer Dinwiddie, who hit a buzzer beater a few days ago due to maintenance on his right knee. That will hurt, but it shouldn’t be enough to swing the tides away from Dallas.
The Hornets have won three games in a row, but before that, they only had four wins in 17 games.
The Mavericks are 6-4 this season with no rest.
I lean MAVERICKS (+100) at even money.
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Against the spread
The Mavericks failed to cover the spread in their last two games and are 5-4-1 ATS in their last 10, but they are 38-31-1 ATS overall and 20-14-1 ATS on the road.
The Hornets covered the spread in all three of their wins in the streak and are 6-4 ATS in their last 10. They are 38-30-2 ATS overall and 18-15-1 ATS at home.
The money line is the better bet, but if you want to double up or get buzzer-beater insurance, lean MAVERICKS +1.5 (-112).
Over/Under
Their first matchup only had 216 points. But the Hornets have the No. 2 offense in the league and the third-worst scoring defense in the league. They are averaging 121.3 points per game in their last 10.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks have allowed 105.5 points per game to their opponents over their last 10 games.
I LEAN OVER 223.5 (-110).
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism