by Ben Perks
As the Phoenix Suns were the best team in the league during the regular season, Vegas oddsmakers didn’t give the Dallas Mavericks much of a chance of winning this NBA playoffs round 2 series.
However, Luka Doncic and co. smashed Phoenix 113-86 in Game 6 to level the series and put them one game away from the Western Conference Final.
Online sportsbooks are still backing Phoenix to see off Dallas at -260 in Game 7, yet the Mavericks have proven that they’ve got what it takes to upset the odds.
Get insights and betting lines for Game 7 of the Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns series this Sunday.
Dallas Mavericks @ Phoenix Suns
- When: Sunday, May 15 at 8pm ET
- NBA betting sites have the Suns at -260 on the moneyline
- The Mavericks beat the Suns 113-86 at home in Game 6 to tie the series at 3-3
- The winner of Game 7 will face the survivor of the Warriors-Grizzlies series in the Western Conference Final.
- Bovada has Phoenix at +325 to win the NBA Championship
- Dallas are a +2000 longshot to lift the NBA title
The Mavericks Bounce Back
After falling to a crushing 110-80 defeat in Game 5, Dallas shocked bookmakers and fans alike by destroying the Suns on Thursday. As usual, Luka Doncic was the driving force for the Mavericks, recording 33 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, and four steals – he also only lost possession once.
After only once surpassing the 100-point mark in three losses in Dallas, the Suns will be glad to be back in Phoenix for the series decider.
The Slovenian’s teammates also put on an impressive performance. Jalen Brunson scored 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting, and Reggie Bullock sunk 4-for-9 from downtown to get 16.
Phoenix looked far from their best when the game was still there for the taking. The Suns had 15 turnovers that led to 21 Dallas points through three quarters and were outscored by 30 from the 3-point line, finishing with 4-for-12.
On an awful night for the Suns, Deandre Ayton gave Phoenix fans something to smile about by putting up 21 points and 11 boards. Devin Booker, however, shot a paltry 6-for-17 from the field to end with 19 points.
After only once surpassing the 100-point mark in three losses in Dallas, the Suns will be glad to be back in Phoenix for the series decider.
Chris Paul Needs to Step Up
The Suns have been on fire at Footprint Center – 32-9 in the regular season and 5-1 during the playoffs. Yet they still need Chris Paul to refind his form if they want to make the finals.
After bagging 28 points in Game 2 against Dallas, he’s gone missing in consecutive games, only scoring 37 points – a 9.3 point-per-game clip. Also, Paul has committed 18 turnovers in the four games after torching the Mavericks.
Aside from their incredible home record, the Suns have another stat in their favor: in all 134 Game 7’s in NBA playoff history, the road team has only won 28 times – a 20.9% success rate.
Many think Game 5 was just a blip, so expect Phoenix to end the Mavericks’ hopes of pulling off an upset against the odds on Sunday.
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Ben is a sports journalist & part-time trader with a passion for finding +EV bets. Ben lives in Madrid, Spain where he enjoys the live poker scene, and sunshine where he covers UFC, MLB, NHL, NBA, as well as tennis betting.
