Dallas (17-8) at Milwaukee (24-3)
When: Monday, December 16th, 2019
Where: Fiserv Forum,
Milwaukee, WI
Time: 8:05 ET | TV: NBA TV
Opening Odds: Milwaukee -10/226
The Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers are both 24-3 and will have a huge matchup on TNT this Thursday night in probably the most anticipated game to date this NBA season. But first, the Bucks need to take care of business against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, as they seek their 19th consecutive victory. The 1970-71 Milwaukee squad won a franchise-record 20 in a row and this year’s team seems more than capable of breaking that. Milwaukee cruised to a 125-108 home win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday to push the streak to 18 and their lead in the Eastern Conference to 4.5 over the Miami Heat and Philadelphia 76ers, who the Bucks play on Christmas Day. They will play a Dallas team on Monday that is missing superstar Luka Doncic, who suffered a moderate ankle sprain in Saturday’s 122-118 overtime loss to Miami. Doncic is everything to the Mavericks, leading them in just about every statistical category. The Bucks are 11-point favorites over the Doncic-less Mavericks, as opposed to probably seven or eight points chalk. Milwaukee has won each of the past three meetings, but Dallas is 6-1-2 ATS in the past nine matchups.
Doncic went out of the game just 1:40 in and Dallas fell behind by as much as 24 points before battling back to take the lead late before eventually falling in overtime. That unfortunately broke a string of 20 straight games in which Doncic recorded at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists. Tim Hardaway, Jr. took over most of the scoring load with a team-high 28 points in the loss, while forward Kristaps Porzingis recorded 22 points and 14 rebounds for his first double-double of December. Three players scored double-figures off the bench including Jalen Brunson (18 points), who also recorded a team-best +14 rating. The Mavericks will host Boston on Wednesday.
When you lead the league in scoring and defensive field goal percentage, you’re probably pretty high in the standings. That’s exactly what Milwaukee is right now, averaging 121.2 points a game while holding the opposition to just 41.3 percent from the field. The Bucks are dealing with an injury themselves as starting point guard Eric Bledsoe is out the next two weeks with a leg injury. Donte DiVincenzo got the start on Friday and the Villanova product was solid with 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals in 25 minutes.
I don’t like laying this much in an NBA game, but Dallas is really nothing without Doncic. Yes, I’m sure the team will play harder with him out, but I’m not sure it’s going to matter against the runaway freight train called the Milwaukee Bucks.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free NBA Picks page for Monday. He is 30-22-2 on the season!
Pick: Bucks -11
Mavericks are 9-1 ATS in their last 10 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Mavericks are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games as a road favorite.
Mavericks are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up loss.
Mavericks are 12-2 ATS in their last 14 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Mavericks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Mavericks are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games as a favorite.
Mavericks are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games following a ATS loss.
Mavericks are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games overall.
Mavericks are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Mavericks are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games playing on 1 days rest.
Mavericks are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Mavericks are 10-3 ATS in their last 13 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Mavericks are 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Mavericks are 20-8-1 ATS in their last 29 road games.
Mavericks are 36-17 ATS in their last 53 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Mavericks are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 Monday games.
Bucks are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Bucks are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Bucks are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Bucks are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games playing on 1 days rest.
Bucks are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
Bucks are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Bucks are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games following a straight up win.
Bucks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS win.
Bucks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games.
Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Bucks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Bucks are 9-3 ATS in their last 12 games as an underdog.
Bucks are 15-5-2 ATS in their last 22 Monday games.
Bucks are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Bucks are 32-13-1 ATS in their last 46 games following a straight up win of more than 10 points.
Over is 4-0 in Mavericks last 4 Monday games.
Over is 5-1 in Mavericks last 6 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Over is 4-1 in Mavericks last 5 overall.
Over is 4-1 in Mavericks last 5 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Mavericks last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Mavericks last 5 after scoring 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 8-2 in Mavericks last 10 games as a favorite.
Over is 4-1 in Mavericks last 5 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 7-2 in Mavericks last 9 games following a straight up loss.
Over is 6-2 in Mavericks last 8 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 9-3 in Mavericks last 12 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Over is 8-3 in Mavericks last 11 games following a ATS loss.
Over is 8-3 in Mavericks last 11 road games.
Over is 13-5 in Mavericks last 18 games playing on 1 days rest.
Over is 5-2 in Mavericks last 7 games as a road favorite.
Over is 17-8 in Mavericks last 25 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Under is 4-0 in Bucks last 4 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
Over is 20-3 in Bucks last 23 vs. a team with a winning straight up record.
Over is 4-1 in Bucks last 5 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Bucks last 5 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Bucks last 5 when their opponent scores 100 points or more in their previous game.
Over is 4-1 in Bucks last 5 games as a home underdog.
Under is 14-5 in Bucks last 19 Monday games.
Over is 8-3 in Bucks last 11 home games vs. a team with a road winning % of greater than .600.
Over is 15-6 in Bucks last 21 games as an underdog.
Under is 9-4 in Bucks last 13 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
Over is 24-11 in the last 35 meetings.
Over is 12-5 in the last 17 meetings in Milwaukee.
Mavericks are 6-1-2 ATS in the last 9 meetings.
Mavericks are 2-0-2 ATS in the last 4 meetings in Milwaukee.
