While much of the attention of the basketball world will be on the start of March Madness on Thursday afternoon, there is still the business of the NBA regular season to take care of. Time is very much ticking down on the season, with the number of available playoff spots in both conferences beginning to shrink with each passing day. While there are several teams who are still mathematically alive in the race for a postseason spot, the reality is that there are many of them who are hanging on by the barest of threads.

One of those teams would be the Sacramento Kings, who are still technically in the hunt for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Given the task ahead of them, though, you would have to suggest that they have zero chance of making it in. They will be looking to keep those slim hopes alive on Thursday night when they host the Dallas Mavericks, a team who have long since been eliminated from playoff contention. Sacramento is favored at home by 8.5 points, with the point total set at 229 ½.

How to Bet Mavericks vs Kings NBA Odds & Expert Pick

🦊 put in work the only way he knows how 💨@swipathefox | 🎥 pic.twitter.com/pNlE6NKVeq

— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) 20 de marzo de 2019

• When: Thursday, March 21 at 8 PM EST
• Where: Golden 1 Center, Sacramento
• TV: TNT
• Radio: TuneIn/NBA
• Live Stream: NBA League Pass
• NBA Odds: Sacramento Kings -8.5 (Total 229.5)

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Why bet on the Dallas Mavericks?

The Dallas Mavericks are now simply playing out the string, as their playoff hopes were dashed before they even really began. In truth, this season has been more about giving Dirk Nowitzki a proper send-off, but the word now is that the big man is considering coming back for another season. He would certainly be hoping for a better end to a great career, with his team managing to go just 28-43 this season.

Of those wins, only 6 have come on the road, so there is very little to suggest that they can go into Sacramento and cause any sort of upset. The Mavericks have not even been that competitive against the spread of late, covering in just 4 of their last 10 games. That said, they have gone 27-18 ATS as an underdog this season.

Team Stats

• Total Score: 108.31
• Field Goal Percentage: 44.68
• Three-Point Percentage: 34.09
• Free Throw Percentage: 74.16
• Total Rebounds: 44.82

Defense

• Total Score: 110.10
• Field Goal Percentage: 46.13
• Three-Point Percentage: 34.80
• Free Throw Percentage: 77.65
• Total Rebounds: 44.48

Why bet on the Sacramento Kings?

As we mentioned earlier, the Sacramento Kings are still mathematically alive in the race for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The reality, though, is they would really need to win out and still hope for some help to actually make it in. When you consider that the Kings have gone just 3-7 in their last 10 games, the arrival of a late-season miracle seems highly unlikely.

If there has been one positive that the Kings can take from this season, it is their play at home court, where they are 21-15. They were also able to pick up the win in their earlier meeting with the Dallas Mavericks this season, winning 120-113 on the road. The Kings have actually been a good bet against the spread as a favorite, going 15-5 ATS overall and 9-4 ATS as a home favorite.

Team Stats

• Total Score: 114.07
• Field Goal Percentage: 46.45
• Three-Point Percentage: 37.28
• Free Throw Percentage: 72.16
• Total Rebounds: 45.37

Defense

• Total Score: 115.03
• Field Goal Percentage: 46.27
• Three-Point Percentage: 34.28
• Free Throw Percentage: 76.78
• Total Rebounds: 48.44

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Mavericks vs Kings NBA Betting Trends

• Dallas is 4-14-1 ATS in its last 19 games when playing Sacramento
• Dallas is 3-7 SU in its last 10 games when playing Sacramento
• The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Dallas’s last 18 games when playing Sacramento
• Sacramento is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
• Sacramento is 11-5 SU in its last 16 games at home
• The total has gone UNDER in 11 of Sacramento’s last 16 games at home

Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction

I like the Sacramento Kings to keep their slim playoff hopes alive with a home win against the Mavericks. I also think that they have a very good shot at covering the spread in this one.

Score: Dallas Mavericks 108 – Sacramento Kings 118