NBA 2022/23, on Thursday, 30.03.2023
At the end of the regular season I started looking for good NBA picks that are worth betting money on. I found what I was looking for in the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks.
Both teams need a win, but I think the visitors have a better chance to win tonight. My 76ers Mavericks tip explains why the Sixers are going into this one with the handbrake on
With my Pacers Mavericks tip yesterday, I was able to win the coin toss scenario I announced. Because Dallas actually proved to be the team with the slightly more mature playing style and one or two more superstars in its ranks.
But the upcoming opponents also have superstars under contract – above all James Harden and Joel Embiid, who combined forces to make the Sixers temporarily the best team in the entire NBA.
However, dark clouds are gathering in Philadelphia’s basketball sky, as one – if not both – of the 76ers’ top performers could henceforth be deliberately spared shortly before the start of the play-offs.
Actually, there’s no denying that Joel Embiid wanted to play a role in the MVP award at all costs. After all, the 76ers centre bit his way through despite a persistent injury, appearing in 27 of the last 28 games.
However, the injury now seems to be so bad that he sat out yesterday’s top game against the Nuggets. The 111-116 defeat against Denver was thus almost inevitable – especially since James Harden was also out.
“The Beard” hasn’t been on the court since the Bulls game on 23 March, so it’s relatively easy to explain the four losses from the last five NBA appearances of the actually so strong Phillies.
Now it is by no means the case that the 76ers can afford any more defeats. The topic of winning the conference is already off the table anyway, but the current negative streak could also mean that they could soon lose 3rd place to the Cavs.
This would of course have serious consequences. Because then they would have to play the Knicks in the postseason, who are much stronger than the Nets or Heat. Therefore, I conclude that Joel Embiid and possibly James Harden will not be used again.
Why? Because if both players were already not activated in yesterday’s top match against the Nuggets, then the injuries must be serious enough for them not to want to put the health of their superstars at risk unnecessarily. That’s good news for the Mavericks.
The Mavs, meanwhile, will go all out to snatch the tenth and final spot in the standings from the Lakers, who are eligible for the play-offs.
Yesterday’s 127-104 win over the Pacers was the Texans’ best performance in the month of March and it wasn’t just Luka Doncic (25 points) and Kyrie Irving (16) who deserved a sports betting bonus based on their performances.
For Hardy (20) and Hardaway (13) also contributed. This is an important signal, as the Mavs’ performance too often depends on the Slovenian. But now the rest of the team seems to want to get involved in the offensive action at just the right time.
The fact that the Mavs already won the last meeting against the Sixers 133-126 should add to my 76ers Mavericks tip.
Doncic and Irving put in their best ever performance together as a congenial duo on this occasion, scoring 42 and 40 points respectively.
When you also take into account that the Blue and White’s top scorer on that night, Joel Embiid (35), could be out, it doesn’t take much imagination to picture how the evening could go under those conditions.
A look at the betting markets, meanwhile, reveals that German bettors think a Mavericks win is unlikely with an average of 2.87.
That’s music to my ears, as I can pick up a nice chunk of change for my 76ers Mavericks prediction if I’m successful!
Conclusion: Since the home side might be without their two superstars, another win tip on the Mavs is only the logical consequence for me.
Yesterday the Texans showed their best game in a long time and also the other members of the starting five could support Doncic and Irving on their scoring hunt.
Dallas needs a win tonight even more urgently than the Phillies, who in turn already proved in their last appearance against the Nuggets that they do not want to unnecessarily put the health of their superstars at risk shortly before the start of the play-offs.
My 76ers Mavericks tip: Mavs win.
