Tonight, we'll see one of the most anticipated regular season debuts in recent NBA history, as Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs will host Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks (9:30 pm ET, ESPN).
Wembanyama, the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, averaged 19.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 2.8 BPG in four preseason games, which only served to increase the excitement surrounding the 7-foot-4 19-year-old from France.
It's perhaps only fitting that his NBA regular season debut will come against Doncic, who was also a highly hyped 19-year-old when he came from Europe five years ago and now qualifies for elder statesman status as he enters his sixth season in the league.
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While Wembanyama and the Spurs are looking to show positive strides in year one after San Antonio won only 22 games last season, their fewest in a full season under Gregg Popovich, there is a lot of pressure on Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and the Mavericks to perform and succeed at a high level this season.
Dallas traded for Irving in February, and his addition was supposed to help them make a move up the standings in the Western Conference. Instead, they went 7-18 in their final 25 games and missed the postseason.
What will we see from both teams and Wemby, Luka, and Kyrie tonight? Best bets for tonight's contest at the Frost Bank Center are below.
Best Prop Bets Selection Boosted Odds on Parlays One of the Oldest and Trusted Sites
Dallas Mavericks vs San Antonio Spurs Odds
Courtesy of Bovada.
Spread
Dallas Mavericks -4 (-105)
San Antonio Spurs +4 (-115)
Over/Under
Over 230 (-110)
Under 230 (-110)
Moneyline
Dallas Mavericks -150
San Antonio Spurs +130
Dallas Mavericks vs San Antonio Spurs Prediction and Best Bets
Prediction: Spurs to win
Best Bets: Spurs +4 (-115 at Bovada) & Mavericks/Spurs over 230 (-110 at Bovada)
I don't expect the Spurs to make the leap from the bottom of the league back to the upper echelon immediately or this year or perhaps even next year. That said, I have more faith in San Antonio's ability to compete and win at home than I do in Dallas's ability to come out of the gates hot on the road.
Sure, the Mavericks are the more talented team, and Doncic and Irving are two of the best players in the game. But after last season, they are going to have to pass the eye test before I consider backing them to any degree this season.
Best Player Prop Bets for Mavericks vs Spurs
Luka Doncic Over 8.5 Rebounds (-115 at Bovada)
Doncic has been active on the boards in every season opener of his NBA career, pulling down no fewer than eight rebounds and going over 8.5 three times.
2018: 8
2019: 9
2020: 8
2021: 11
2022: 9
Victor Wembanyama Over 23.5 Points + Rebounds (-115 at Bovada)
Expectations about Wembanyama's immediate success need to be tempered, but this is a very reachable target. The Mavericks will certainly put a lot of attention on him, but that attention shouldn't prevent him from being able to have a solid performance in his first regular season game.
In addition to being able to bet on 2024 NBA championship odds, you can make daily NBA picks on games all season long, including tonight's Mavericks vs Spurs matchup in San Antonio.
Also, you can bet on the NBA All-Star Game and the major awards like NBA MVP, NBA Rookie of the Year, and more at most reputable sports betting sites.
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Eddie Griffin has been writing about and betting on sports for over a decade and has been with Betting News since 2021. For more of his thoughts on sports and sports betting, you can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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