Ricky Dimon
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Not including the playoffs, Christmas is without question the best day of every NBA season. This 2021-22 campaign is certainly no exception, as we have 5 games on the schedule – all nationally televised – and for the most part they are marquee matchups. Wrapping up the slate at 10:30 pm on ESPN is a Western Conference showdown between the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz. Let’s take a look at the best same game parlay option for Mavericks vs Jazz, and also be sure to check out our full game preview for picks on the side and total.
Jazz -12.5 (-115)
Mike Conley to record 8+ assists (+280)
Dorian Finney-Smith Over 12.5 points (+102)
Parlay odds: +1367
Part of the value in same game parlays, of course, is that all of its components can be correlated if you so choose. That is some of the plan here, as Mike Conley dishing out his fair share of assists would obviously work well with a big win for Utah. At the same time, plays that aren’t correlated drive up the overall payout of the parlay. That is the case with tipping Dorian Finney-Smith to get buckets for Dallas. But even if DFS plays well, there is no reason why the Jazz can’t take care of business. Let’s break down each of the three legs one by one.
Jazz -12.5 (-115)
Dallas is not having the season it was hoping for, to say the least. Head coach Jason Kidd was brought in to take over and has not been able to get this club to be any more consistent. Injuries have definitely not made things any easier with big man Kristaps Porzingis in and out of the lineup. Luka Doncic is the star and his numbers have been down this season. He was dealing with an ankle injury before also joining several players in health and safety protocols. The Mavs have a total of nine guys listed as out and Porzingis is questionable. Utah has rebounded from back-to-back home losses with consecutive wins heading into this one. The Jazz are navigating COVID as well as any team. The only player even listed as out with illness is wing Elijah Hughes. They have lost only two games in December and given this matchup it is hard to see a third setback of the month coming on Christmas.
Mike Conley to record 8+ assists (+280)
Dallas is 22nd in the NBA in giving up assists per field goal made by opponents at 62.0 percent. Over the past three games, that number balloons to 71.6 percent. By comparison, the highest season-long average is 65.9 percent (Minnesota). In other words, the Mavericks are watching opposing teams dish out assists at an alarming rate right now. Conley has recorded at least 6 assists in three of the last five games, including an 8-assist effort Washington exactly two weeks ago.
Dorian Finney-Smith Over 12.5 points (+102)
Three of the Mavericks’ five starters are listed as out and Porzingis is day-to-day. That leaves Finney-Smith as the only member of the starting five without any kind of injury distinction heading into Saturday. The former Florida standout should have plenty of opportunities as perhaps the leader of the offense. He is already averaging double-digits in points for the first time in his career and he has reached double-figures in every single one of the last five outings. His three most recent point totals are 23, 19, and 12. DFS has also forked up 18 threes in the past two contests. The sheer volume of work should send him well past this 12.5 quota.
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