The Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs face off today as part of the NBA’s eight-game Summer League slate. This matchup will showcase the first battle between No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg and No. 2 overall pick Dylan Harper as the pair of Texas teams face off.
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the San Antonio Spurs as narrow one-point favorites at -118 on the Moneyline ahead of the contest. The Dallas Mavericks hold -102 odds on the Moneyline with the game total set at 173.
Mavericks vs. Spurs preview, prediction
Cooper Flagg made his NBA Summer League debut against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Duke product largely struggled, finishing with 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists while shooting 5-for-21 from the floor and missing all five of his three-point attempts. Despite the struggles, the vision for his impact is clear. Dallas is also still experimenting with his usage and allowing him to run the offense at a regular rate in this setting, which is expected to continue tonight.
New two-way signing Ryan Nembhard led the charge in the victory over the Lakers, finishing with a team-high 21 points and five assists. The brother of Andrew Nembhard and Gonzaga product is already shaping up to look like a steal in the undrafted free agent market, and there is an immediate role for him with guard being a weakness on this Mavericks roster. Miles Kelly was the only other player to score in double-figures with 17 in the last game, while Maxwell Lewis and Jamarion Sharp rounded out the starting lineup and each showed some intriguing flashes. Jordan Hall and Gabe McGlothan each added nine points off the bench for the Mavericks.
Dylan Harper missed the Spurs’ Las Vegas Summer League opener against the Philadelphia 76ers due to groin soreness. The expectation is that he will return to the floor tonight and deliver on this highly-anticipated matchup. The Spurs did not particularly miss their No. 2 selection in the first game as they cruised to a 111-70 victory over the Sixers in which they leaped out to a 34-12 lead and never looked back.
David Jones-Garcia led the team in scoring with 24 points, five rebounds, three assists, and four steals in just 18 minutes of action. Riley Minix and Dexter Dennis each pitched in 14 points. While he was limited to five points and five rebounds, 14th overall pick Carter Bryant stood out with his impressive defensive impact, tallying three blocks and a steal as it felt like he was everywhere on the floor. Last year’s second-round pick Harrison Ingram was limited to seven points on 3-for-7 shooting but has more to his game than he showed in the Summer League opener.
Mavericks vs. Spurs pick, best bet
It will be exciting to see Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper square off, so they are sure to be the main attraction in this matchup. Count on Flagg to have a bounce-back shooting game and put up better raw numbers than were the case in the first game. But it is the talent level of the rest of San Antonio’s roster beyond their top pick that has me backing the Spurs.
David Jones-Garcia will have a real chance to lead the Las Vegas Summer League field in scoring if he maintains this pace. His athleticism and desire to get to the rim popped in the opener and this is a great setting for his style of play to shine. Carter Bryant also flashed truly game-changing defensive talent and will welcome the challenge in his second Summer League battle in which he will try his hand against Flagg. Harrison Ingram also makes an impact on this side of the floor and has more to put on display offensively.
The Mavericks shot just 32.1% from beyond the three-point arc and 43.0% from the field in the Summer League opener. They will now face an even more impactful defense with Harper ready to make a statement with his play. The Rutgers product has a mature and NBA-ready game that should flash right away. Expect Dallas to struggle to find reliable ways to score outside of the Flagg and Nembhard duo, and for the Spurs to advance to 2-0 in Las Vegas.
