Knicks vs. Mavericks Predictions, Odds, Preview

VegasInsider Staff Sports Betting Expert

1 minute read

Apr. 16, 2021

by Jonathan Willis
NBA Expert
VegasInsider.com

Kristaps Porzingis will take on his former team for the fourth time Friday night in Dallas. The Mavericks will play host to the New York Knicks, who are riding a four-game winning streak ahead of this clash.

Both teams are looking to pick up a win in order to help their chances of finishing in the top six in their respective conferences, subsequently avoiding the play-in tournament that owner Mark Cuban and Luka Doncic have sounded off against in the last couple days.

Knicks vs. Mavericks Betting Resources

Matchup: Eastern vs. Western Conference
Expert Picks: Vegas Insiders
Venue: American Airlines Center
Location: Dallas, Texas
Date: Friday, Apr. 16, 2021
Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Bet: BetMGM | betrivers |FanDuel |bet365 |DraftKings |Best Sportsbooks

Betting Odds - Knicks vs. Mavericks

Line Movements

Subject to Change

Spread: Mavericks -5
Money-Line: Dallas -210, New York +180
Total: 210.5

The Knicks are riding a seven-game ATS hot streak as New York heads to Dallas on Friday night. (AP)

Knicks vs. Mavericks Current Form-Last Game

The Mavericks won five straight games from the end of March through the first week of April. They won four straight road games in that stretch, including a 99-86 victory over the Knicks in Madison Square Garden two weeks ago.

Doncic led all scorers with 26 points in that game, as Julius Randle really struggled with 14 points on 5-20 shooting. Randle was able to record 11 assists and eight rebounds though.

It hasn’t been as great for Dallas since the Mavericks knocked off the Utah Jazz, 111-103 on April 5. They lost to Houston in their next game, and although they did beat Milwaukee by 15 points last Thursday, they followed that up with consecutive losses to San Antonio and Philadelphia. <

Dallas should have lost to Memphis on Wednesday night too, but Doncic hit one of the most improbable shots you will ever see to beat the buzzer.

Reliable free throw shooter Grayson Allen missed two freebies to give the Mavericks a chance to win with under two seconds left. Doncic was able to dip under a defender and lean forward for an off-balance three that left his hands just as time expired to give Dallas a 114-113 win. Doncic led all scorers with 29 points.

The Knicks lost five of six games before their recent winning streak. New York struggled on offense in those five losses, averaging just 97.2 PPG. Their lone win in that dismal stretch was a 44-point thrashing of the Pistons in the Motor City.

They snapped out of their slump last Friday with a 133-129 overtime win over the Grizzlies. The Knicks kept it going with home wins over the Raptors and Lakers in back-to-back nights at the start of the week prior to Wednesday night’s 116-106 win over the Pelicans in New Orleans.

The difference in that game was three-point shooting. While the Knicks knocked down 51.5% of their threes, the Pelicans shot a dreadful 21.4% beyond the arc. Julius Randle finished the evening with 32 points, while Alec Burks added 21 points off the bench.

Knicks vs. Mavericks Head-to-Head

Apr. 2, 2021 - Mavericks 99 at Knicks 86, Dallas -5, Under 213

(SU-Straight Up, ATS - Against the Spread, OU - Over-Under)

New York Knicks Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats (2020-2021)

Overall: 29-27 SU, 34-21-1 ATS, 23-33 OU
Road: 12-17 SU, 18-11 ATS, 11-18 OU

has had a strong season for the Knicks. He leads the team in points (23.2 PPG), rebounds (10.6 RPG), and assists (6.0 APG). His 19.74 PER is the tops on the team, and he is making 40.4% of his threes. Randle is the player the Knicks turn to when they need a boost, as the only other solid offensive option is Burks.

Burks has hit 40.8% of his threes on the year. He hasn’t been great inside the arc though, and he has been streaky in recent weeks. Burks has had at least 19 points in three of his eight games this month, but he has eight points or less in his other five appearances in April.

Reggie Bullock is a solid perimeter shooter too. He is making 39.9% of his threes on the season and is averaging 9.9 PPG. Bullock doesn’t provide much besides perimeter shooting, so he needs to be hitting his threes in order to be an effective player.

The Knicks have one of the worst offenses in the league. They are averaging just 105.6 PPG, and they rank 25th in shooting efficiency and 29th in two-point shooting percentage. The only thing they do well is shoot the three, as they rank eighth in the NBA by hitting 37.8% of their threes as a team.

This team is a playoff contender because of its defense. New York is allowing a league-best 104.2 PPG as opponents are making just 33.6% of their threes.

Dallas Mavericks Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats (2020-2021)

Overall: 30-24 SU, 26-28 ATS, 22-32 OU
Home: 13-12 SU, 10-15 ATS, 10-15 OU

Doncic continues to amaze in his third season in the NBA. He is averaging 28.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and 8.6 APG this season, and he has already tallied 35 triple-doubles in his career.

Doncic shot the lights out in March, hitting 52.7% of his field goals and 43.3% of his threes, but he hasn’t been as efficient through the first half of April. He is making a respectable 47.7% of his field goals but just 30.4% of his threes.

A lot of eyes will be on Porzingis since he was the centerpiece of the trade between these two franchises in the summer of 2019. He is averaging 20.7 PPG and 9.3 RPG this season. Porzingis is hitting 48.2% of his field goals and 37% of his threes, and he has scored at least 21 points in four straight games.

Tim Hardaway Jr. was a part of that trade too. Hardaway will want to get revenge on his former team after being seen as a throw-in by the Knicks. He is averaging 16.0 PPG as the third leading scorer on the Mavericks, and he is sinking 39% of his threes.

Jalen Brunson and Maxi Kleber are the other top three-point shooters on this team. Brunson is shooting 39.2% from beyond the arc, while Kleber is hitting 42.3% of his threes.

J.J. Redick was recently acquired too, and the hope is the veteran will shoot better from downtown than he did with New Orleans.

Key Injuries

New York Knicks

PF John Henson: Calf - Questionable
C Nerlens Noel: Ankle - Questionable

Dallas Mavericks

PG Tyrell Terry: Personal - Questionable