Oh Luka Doncic, Luka Doncic, where are you, Luka Doncic?
The earth-shattering trade of the five-time All-NBA First-Team talent last season really shows his impact.
Injuries have decimated Dallas’ frontcourt, with Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford all out or questionable. Dallas’ size should be their advantage this season, and these absences handicap them in that area.
Jason Kidd has had to experiment with small-ball lineups, which has further slowed an offense that ranks No. 28 in effective field goal percentage. What’s worse is that all the poor shooting has sunk them to last place in the offensive rating.
Pistons vs. Mavericks odds, prediction
Their defense has kept them afloat in their 2-3 start, especially by limiting shots beyond the arc. The Mavs rank fifth in defensive rating.
Dallas nearly blew their 107-105 win over an undermanned Pacers team as six-point favorites had Aaron Nesmith not missed a last-second shot.
The NBA returns to Mexico City for the 15th time on Saturday, where the Mavericks play the Pistons, who have 7.5 points. This line has shifted one point toward Dallas through Saturday.
Detroit is slightly healthier, but still lacks Jaden Ivey’s big contributions in the backcourt.
They aren’t much better offensively, ranking 22nd in offensive rating. However, they have scored at least 115 points in three of their last four games. Unlike the Mavericks, the Pistons have someone who can run the offense in Cade Cunningham, who is averaging 22.2 points — seven points higher than Dallas’ most productive player.
Cunningham doesn’t need a night full of statistics to be effective. His game is still able to create looks for Detroit’s wings and bigs in this matchup, especially in transition or on the offensive glass.
Bet on the NBA?
With Detroit’s top-10 defense, Dallas’ depleted frontcourt could reveal itself as the Pistons master second-chance opportunities and fast break points regardless of their poor shooting.
I see a defense-oriented high-ball game, but Detroit is best suited to dictate the tempo and use their interior advantage.
THE GAME: Pistons -7.5 (-105, FanDuel)
Why trust New York Post betting
Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He focuses primarily on choices that reflect market value while following trends to limit risks.
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