If there was ever a schedule win, this is it. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is out for Oklahoma City while Luka Doncic, Tim Hardaway Jr, and Maxi Kleber have cleared Health and Safety protocols and appear ready to return to the lineup. Depending on how he was impacted by Covid, Luka should have fresh legs. He’s coming back at the ideal time with an opportunity to turn the season around. As it currently stands, the Mavs are the 8^th seed and sit just a game and a half behind the Nuggets for the 5 seed. A win over the Thunder would be huge.

All odds are courtesy of DraftKings sportsbook and are current as of 12:30 pm. CT, January 2

Outcome odds

Spread: Mavs -9 (-110)

Moneyline: Mavs -410

Our own Josh Bowe is concerned that the return of certain players to the lineup can disrupt some of the positive things the team has done the past few weeks. In the past few games, Tim Hardaway Jr’s minutes have gone to marginal players that have made a positive impact on the team through sheer effort. While his shooting was missed, his defensive lapses were not. Ultimately, none of that will matter for tonight’s game. The Mavs should, in theory, be able to roll the ball out and secure a much-needed win against the Thunder. With Shai on the floor, the Thunder are sneaky and can pull out wins against teams with a clear talent advantage. Without him, the offense is unbearable to watch.

ADVICE: Pound the Mavs. Lay the points with confidence.

Over/Under

207 (-115)

This line is comically low and still, I’m hesitant to recommend the over. If you think the Thunder can crack 95 points, take the over. If you don’t, stay away.

Advice: Take the over but don’t be TOO aggressive

Two-Team Moneyline Parlay

Advice: With the Mavs as -410 favorites, there is simply no value on a parlay. Even if you found a huge underdog you thought had a chance to win, adding the Mavs does nothing other than negate the value the plus money line would present.