2 min read • May 24, 2022
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The Dallas Mavericks face break point tonight at home against a Golden State Warriors team that has throttled them on both ends of the court for three straight games. Elite guard Luka Doncic will be leaned on heavily in Game 4, which has been the winning formula for Dallas in elimination games since Doncic joined the league.
In the four elimination games in his career, Doncic averages 38 points per game which is the highest PPG average in NBA playoff history.
Only one man can do so much as the Warriors will gladly let Doncic dominate if it means holding the secondary scorers to zilch. The best secondary scorer the Mavericks have to offer is guard Tim Hardaway who continues to miss time due to a fractured foot.
Villanova alum Jalen Brunson and trade deadline pickup Spencer Dinwiddie have helped filled the void but both will need solid nights on the offensive end for the Mavericks to have any shot to win tonight and salvage the series.
The Warriors go into Game 4 with a lingering small forward injury problem with every player at the position listed as out tonight.
-Gary Payton II is nursing an elbow fracture and will not play in this series although if they advance, the elite defender will have a chance to appear.
-Otto Porter Jr. has issues with both feet with the left being the main issue currently and will likely miss more time than just Game 4.
-Veteran figurehead Andre Iguodala continues to nurse a neck issue and remains sidelined without a timetable.
Both teams are relatively healthy as Hardaway has missed multiple months and the small forwards from the Warriors are role players not essential pieces. The health edge is low but the betting value remains high in the prop market with injuries always effecting the board:
Injury-Based Prop Plays (All odds from FanDuel Sportsbook)
Jalen Brunson O19.5 Points - The Mavericks secondary scoring hasn’t been enough this series but Brunson has come on off later going over this prop in the last two games, expect the guard to fight to the death and score 20+ points
Andrew Wiggins O22.5 Points+Rebounds - With so few SFs on the roster, Wiggins played 40 minutes Game 3 and will likely push close to that number again tonight, the Canadian international has gone over the prop in 3 of the last 4 games
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