In their first game after losing Dereck Lively II to a foot fracture, the reigning Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks will have to go straight into the belly of the beast. Tonight, Dallas will take on MVP leader Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder at 8 p.m. ET.
The Mavericks are just 4-10 since losing Luka Dončić to a calf strain on Christmas Day, with co-star Kyrie Irving missing seven games across that stretch as well. Dončić is hoping to be back prior to the All-Star break, but for now, it’s up to Irving to keep the team afloat. This season, Irving has averaged 24.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. He’s also just 11 made field goals shy of his second-ever 50-40-90 season.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Dallas is a 12.5-point underdog and the total is set for 222. Below, I’ve highlighted my favorite prop bet centered around Irving.
Best Kyrie Irving Prop Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook
Kyrie Irving 30+ Points + Rebounds (+115)
The Thunder basically have no weaknesses on defense. They allow the fewest points and third-fewest assists per game while forcing the most turnovers. They also concede the second-fewest made threes per game on by far the lowest percentage. Needless to say, it’s not a great matchup for a Mavericks team that has the league’s fifth-worst offensive rating since Dončić went down and has only scored 108.9 points per 100 possessions in the last five games, four of which Irving played.
But Oklahoma City struggles to defend the boards, allowing the third-most rebounds per game in the league. The possible injury return tonight of center Isaiah Hartenstein, who has grabbed double-digit boards in 19 of his 24 games this season, would help, but the Thunder have actually been better on the boards the last four games with Hartenstein sidelined.
Plus, Lively’s injury robs Dallas of its best rebounder and one of its more reliable scorers, leaving more opportunities for Irving to get to the rack and crash the boards, especially if the Mavericks play small in minutes that Daniel Gafford, the only traditional center on the roster, sits. Irving has recorded 30 or more combined points and rebounds four times in seven games since Dončić’s injury.
