The NBA Summer League is in full swing out in Las Vegas. Tipping off at 7:00 p.m. ET as part of the loaded slate, the Dallas Mavericks will face the Memphis Grizzlies.
DraftKings Sportsbook is offering odds for all the summer league matchups, including some player prop and team prop options, depending on your location.
The Grizzlies enter as 9.5-point favorites and hold -470 odds of winning outright on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Mavericks hold +360 odds of winning outright, with the game total set at 181.5 points.
Mavericks vs. Grizzlies preview, prediction
The Dallas Mavericks have dropped both of their summer league matchups thus far, entering tonight with an 0-2 record. They fell 101-90 to the Warriors in their opening matchup, with Golden State leading for 94% of the matchup and stretching this to as many as 24. The Warriors connected on 50% of their three-point attempts while the Mavericks were limited to 24% from long range. In their second summer league matchup, the Lakers took down the Mavericks 91-70. Los Angeles extended the lead to as many as 27 and maintained a lead for 66% of the game.
Ninth overall pick Morez Johnson Jr. has impressed in his opening two summer league matchups. The Michigan product is averaging 18.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks and 2.5 steals per game. Ryan Nembhard adds 13.5 points and 8.0 assists, effectively running the offense for this Dallas team. John Poulakidas, Tyler Smith, Vsevolod Ishchenko and Sergio De Larrea each also pitch in 7.0 points per game or greater. There have been some positive flashes from Jaden Springer and Tobi Lawal, but Dallas has underwhelmed relative to the summer league quality.
The Memphis Grizzlies have played just one summer league game to this point, defeating the Chicago Bulls in a 97-96 thriller. Memphis led for 92% of the matchup, but it failed to extend its lead beyond 13. The Bulls outscored the Grizzlies 28-18 in the fourth quarter to make it competitive and strike some fear into this young Memphis roster. It struggled from the perimeter in the matchup, connecting on just three of its 21 three-point attempts, or 14%.
Third-overall pick Cameron Boozer impressed in his first Las Vegas summer league action, finishing with 23 points, six rebounds and four assists. Cedric Coward added 17 points and a team-high 10 rebounds, while Taylor Hendricks, Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Javon Small also cracked double figures to round out the starting lineup. Lawson Lovering added eight points in 16 minutes of action off the bench, but Memphis kept a tighter rotation than is often the case in summer league.
Mavericks vs. Grizzlies pick, best bet
The Dallas Mavericks have looked rough thus far in summer league, but 9.5 points is a significant spread in this type of summer league setting. Basketball is a game of runs, and this is especially the case in this type of pickup-like style that is brought on by the lack of familiarity and chemistry on each roster.
Expect Cameron Boozer to stuff the stat sheet and lead Memphis in production in this matchup. But Morez Johnson Jr. plays with a chip on his shoulder under all circumstances, and this will especially be the case as he faces off against the player selected six picks ahead of him. Johnson Jr. has an athletic advantage that could work to his favor, but Boozer is as polished as a young player can be entering the league.
While Ryan Nembhard has had some positive flashes, he has struggled with his efficiency and is connecting on just 34.6% from the field and 12.5% from beyond the three-point arc. But Nembhard proved to be a difference-maker on the full Mavericks squad last year, earning 27 starts and serving as a reliable ball-handler. Expect him to find his stride and get back to producing at a high level, with the Gonzaga product holding more talent than anyone in the Memphis backcourt.
Both these rosters are top-heavy, with plenty of the production dependent on their top two players. But both have plenty of inconsistencies beyond these two names, and this matchup feels much closer than the 9.5-point spread indicates. Count on a better effort from Nembhard and for the Mavericks to keep this matchup competitive throughout, finishing within the +9.5 point spread.
