This article is part of our NBA Picks series.
Mavericks +1 (-115) vs. Suns
FanDuel, 1:14 PM CT
Alex Barutha: I'll admit I don't have a ton of faith in this. The Mavericks are down 27 points in the series. But we've seen plenty of times throughout the playoffs -- this year being no exception -- the home favorite dominates the first two games followed by the underdog coming through at home with their backs against the wall in Game 3. There are still some problematic issues for Dallas -- the main one being that Phoenix is targeting Luka Doncic's poor defense. But, my guess is that coach Jason Kidd will have a solution for that which could allow the Mavs to get at least one game at home.
Heat at 76ers
This isn't an official pick, but I'd be interested in backing the 76ers if Joel Embiid manages to return. Even if he doesn't play well, I think his return would be a huge rallying cry for the rest of the team that could bring some necessary energy at home, where the fans would presumably be extremely energized as well.
