The arrival of Kyrie Irving to the Mavericks completely changes the league’s paradigm, adding an All-Star to a Dallas team that desperately needed a teammate who led along with Doncic and brings another big name to a Western conference full of first-level talent.
Dallas has gotten a bargain, or they have carried out the robbery of the century since they only lost two players from the rotation, a point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, whom Kyrie replaced on the court, and Dorian Finney-Smith, a good player but who has not managed to unleash everything it’s potential.
What the Mavs are gaining in exchange for sacrificing so little is a secondary starter, capable of generating chances for himself and teammates, effective and efficient in front of the basket, and capable of playing with and without the ball.
A new era for the Mavericks
Irving is a duo player; he needs a counterpart that complements him and brings out the best in him; James Harden and Kevin Durant have played that role in the past.
But it has been with LeBron James that the Australian point guard has complemented himself best, and the result was three consecutive finals and the 2016 ring. Irving scored 40 or more points in the title series in the last three games.
In Dallas, he will share a dressing room with Luka Doncic, a player who has been compared a lot to LeBron regarding playing style, so expectations are high for what the duo can achieve in this new era for the Mavs.
The big question is whether this is the best version of Kyrie Irving since he has only played 51.6% of the games since he signed four seasons ago for Brooklyn between injuries, being separated from the team due to physical problems or personal causes ranging from not getting vaccinated against COVID to post tweets with anti-Semitic content.
Despite the doubts, the numbers support him this season, averaging 27.1 points and 5.3 assists, shooting 39.9% on three-pointers.
Jason Kidd will have to work on how Doncic and Irving will complement each other since they both need the ball to control the game. On the one hand, Doncic finishes 37.6% of possessions, the fifth-highest figure in NBA history. In comparison, Kyrie finishes 29.4% of the possessions.
Doncic’s challenge will be learning to live with a player capable of generating and finishing.
What do the odds say?
Irving’s arrival has improved the Mavericks’ chances of reaching the NBA championship.
The Mavericks’ odds to win it all dipped drastically from +2000 to +1200.
Since the trade information leaked, the Mavericks have become the seventh favorite in the ring and fourth in the Western conference after Denver, Memphis, and Golden State.
Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic are definitely two of the top 10 players in the NBA today.
There are many doubts about Kyrie’s performance and fit in the roster and locker room, but on a talent level, the Mavs have plenty to be candidates to win the ring.
Take advantage of the change in the odds and bet quickly
The NBA can be a chaotic and unpredictable league at times, especially when a major player like Kyrie Irving is traded. The trade of Irving to the Boston Celtics in 2017 sent shockwaves throughout the entire NBA, and it immediately impacted the betting odds for each team in the league.
When a significant move like this is made, sportsbooks quickly adjust their lines to reflect the new look of each team.
This creates an opportunity for bettors to find value and capitalize on it if they can identify it quickly enough. Those who can spot these changes and act fast have a much higher chance of turning a profit, as odds constantly shift up until game time.
Sports bettors must remain vigilant if they want to take advantage of situations like this one as teams around the league try to adapt to such drastic changes.
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