Dallas Mavericks vs Sacramento Kings Betting Pick & Prediction 12/30/24

At 10:00 ET, the Sacramento Kings (-161) will host the Dallas Mavericks (+136) in a Western Conference matchup. The Kings are favored by 3.5 points, and the over/under line is set at 230.

Sacramento (13-19) has lost six straight games and is 12th in the Western Conference. Dallas (20-12) is 4th in the West and 3rd in the Southwest Division.

DALLAS MAVERICKS VS SACRAMENTO KINGS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Sacramento Kings -3.5

This game will be played at Golden 1 Center at 10:00 ET on Monday, December 30th.

WHY BET THE SACRAMENTO KINGS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 134-101 in favor of the Kings.
  • Our projections have De’Aaron Fox finishing with 26 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.
  • From the field, we have the Kings finishing with a field goal percentage of 47.2% and knocking down 14 threes.

Can the Dallas Offense Score Enough on the Road?

The Mavericks fell to 20-12 on the season after a 126-122 road loss to the Trail Blazers on Saturday. Dallas, favored by 3.5 points, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total score of 248 points exceeded the O/U line of 223.5 by 24.5 points.

Dallas found themselves in a hole early, trailing 36-25 after the 1st quarter. They entered the 4th quarter down 97-82 but made a strong push, outscoring Portland 40-29 in the final period.

Kyrie Irving put up 46 points, including 20 in the 4th quarter, in the Mavericks’ 126-122 loss to the Trail Blazers. He hit 5 threes, shooting 41.7% from deep and 61.5% overall. Spencer Dinwiddie added 17 points, with 8 coming in the final quarter.

The Mavericks shot 48.3% from the field, connecting on 15 threes at a 39.5% rate. Daniel Gafford contributed 15 points, hitting 75% of his shots, while Quentin Grimes also added 15, with 9 of those coming in the 2nd quarter.

Defensively, the Mavericks struggled in the 1st and 2nd quarters, allowing 36 and 33 points, respectively, in their 126-122 loss to the Trail Blazers. They tightened up a bit in the 3rd and 4th, giving up 28 and 29 points. Overall, they allowed Portland to shoot 50% from the field.

Dallas did a good job limiting the Blazers’ three-point shooting, giving up just 11 threes, though Portland still shot 42% from deep. The Mavericks sent the Blazers to the line 29 times, where they hit 23 free throws. Dallas finished with 30 defensive rebounds but allowed 14 offensive boards, while also recording 6 steals and 10 blocks.

Will the Kings Come Through as Home Favorites?

The Kings fell to 13-19 on the season after a 132-122 road loss to the Lakers on Saturday. Sacramento, who were -3 point favorites, not only lost the game but also failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game were 254, well over the pre-game line of 222.

After a strong 2nd quarter, where they outscored the Lakers 35-25, the Kings struggled in the 3rd, being outscored 42-24. A 12-0 run by the Lakers extended their lead from 100-90 to 112-90, and although Sacramento outscored the Lakers 32-25 in the 4th, it wasn’t enough to close the gap.

De’Aaron Fox put up 29 points and 12 assists in the Kings’ 132-122 loss to the Lakers, with 14 of his points coming in the 4th quarter. DeMar DeRozan added 25 points, shooting 70.6% from the field, including 12 points in the 2nd quarter.

Malik Monk contributed 20 points, hitting 3 threes at 37.5%. The Kings shot 51% from the field but struggled from beyond the arc, making just 11 threes at 27.5%.

The Kings struggled defensively, giving up 132 points to the Lakers, including 40 points in the 1st quarter and 42 in the 3rd. They managed to hold Los Angeles to 25 points in both the 2nd and 4th quarters but couldn’t overcome the other defensive lapses.

Sacramento allowed the Lakers to shoot 59% from the field, including 53% from beyond the arc, where they hit 14 threes. The Kings also sent the Lakers to the line 33 times, where they converted 26 free throws. Sacramento finished with 26 defensive rebounds, 7 steals, and 2 blocks.