Kings +4.5 at Mavs – 2.5 units      (3:40pm ET  Sunday)

 

½ unit +150 moneyline

The Mavs haven’t been good under Jason Kidd to start the season and they played two playoff teams in the first 5 games and lost both by 57 points combined to the Hawks and Nuggets. They’re second to last on offense in effective field goal % and Luka hasn’t looked like himself. The starting lineup isn’t clicking and teams are exposing Powell and Finney-Smith when they’re on the court. As a team they’re shooting 31% from three and they play from behind a lot and they’ve trailed by 20+ in 3 of their 5 games. The Kings have been playing good ball and won a big game at Phoenix early this week before beating the Pelicans Friday night. They’ve already won road games at Portland and Phoenix and are now 11-1 ATS their last 12 road games going back to last year. This is a talented team that’s playing really connected together and is better than where books have them valued. De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield are playing really well, Richaun Holmes is averaging 15 & 10 and the Mavs struggle to defend inside. Harrison Barnes is playing on another level and with these guys all clicking and Dallas having the 6th worst 3 point % defense and an offense that’s not working right now the Kings should have a lead throughout this game and be in position to win it. The Kings are 8-1-1 ATS in 10 games vs Dallas with Luka playing and they’ve won in Dallas 4 times the last 3 years – once as 6.5 point dogs, twice as 8.5 points dogs, and once as 4.5 point dogs. And that was with Luka having big games in most of them. Struggling team trying to figure out its identity under Jason Kidd who said the other night “this isn’t instant oatmeal, this is going to take some time to cook.” Give me the Kings who are clicking and are further along as a team than the Mavs early in the season.