In today’s SportSense Entertainment Newsletter…

Additional Model Predictions ⬇️

NHL Model Predictions- Click Here

There were plenty of model predictions to go around yesterday across the NBA, with our model focusing in on one of those predictions in our Featured Matchup. That prediction went 0-1 overall, and you can see how the rest of the model performed below.

Money Line Predictions: 4-2

Over/Under Predictions: 3-3

Spread Predictions: 2-4

Featured Matchup: 0-1

11 NBA games are scheduled to take place today. Our model’s predictions for all 11 matchups can be found below.

Dallas Mavericks @ Utah Jazz

Model Predicts- Mavericks ML, OVER 236, Jazz +8

The Dallas Mavericks will begin a four-game road trip on Monday night, with the first stop coming in Salt Lake City, Utah to take on the Jazz.

Dallas enter tonight’s matchup fighting for playoff position in the Western Conference with a 41-29 record, one that has improved due to the Mavericks’ current three-game win streak. Meanwhile, Utah has its eyes set on the upcoming NBA Draft after posting a 29-42 record through 71 games.

Dallas is the only team in tonight’s matchup that still has a postseason to play for, but that hasn’t stopped our model from predicting both teams to pile on the points. Let’s take a look at why that is.

Dallas Mavericks

• Enter tonight on three-game win streak

  • Wins over Nuggets, Spurs, and Jazz

  • +7.6 Net Rating in that span- 9th best in NBA

• Have found success offensively against Jazz this season

  • Own 113.3 Offensive Rating in three games vs Utah

  • Averaging 116.7 points per game while shooting 48.6% from the floor

• Injuries- Josh Green is OUT, Maxi Kleber is questionable

Utah Jazz

• Enter tonight on five-game losing streak

  • Losses to Timberwolves (twice), Thunder, Mavericks, and Rockets

  • -85 point differential in that span

• Defense has been massive problem during losing streak

  • Own 123.6 Defensive Rating in last five games- last in NBA

  • Opponents shooting 50.1% overall and 41.6% from three

• Injuries- Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, and Omer Yurtseven are questionable. Kris Dunn is OUT

What’s the Play?

Defense is neither Dallas’ nor Utah’s strength, and as a result we agree with our model that this will be a high-scoring contest.

The Jazz have tossed defense out the window this month, posting a 125.5 Defensive Rating since March 1st. As you might be able to guess, that is the worst rating in the NBA, and it is 4.9 points worse than any other team. We saw just how bad Utah’s defense has gotten in its last game against Houston, where the Jazz surrendered 147 points and allowed the Rockets to shoot 55% overall and 56% from three.

That will allow Dallas to score in bunches, but we have to remember this is a Mavericks squad that ranks 21st in Defensive Rating this season despite what some recent numbers say. We should expect Utah to have plenty of scoring opportunities as well, especially if Markkanen and Clarkson are back in the lineup, so we’ll back the over here.

The Play: Over 236 (-110)

Money Line Trends 💰

• Boston Celtics- 57-14 overall this season, 9-1 in last ten games

• Houston Rockets- 35-35 overall this season, 8-0 in last eight games

Over/Under Trends ⬆️⬇️

• Utah Jazz- Over is 38-32-1 this season, 19-15-1 as the home team

Spread Trends ➕➖

• Boston Celtics- 38-30-3 against the spread (ATS) this season, 17-14-3 ATS as a road favorite

• Utah Jazz- 36-34-1 ATS this season, 22-13 ATS as the home team

😬 Nuggets ban superfan from attending home games. A Nuggets superfan, Vicki Ray, who held season tickets for 32 years, has been banned from attending games at Ball Arena following complaints from players and referees about her conduct. The Nuggets' decision to revoke her season-ticket membership was based on repeated violations of the NBA's and Ball Arena's code of conduct, according to the team's director of marketing and communications. Ray denies allegations of physical contact with a referee or player but admits to passing notes to referees, a practice she had maintained for 25 years.

🥊 Kris Dunn, Jabari Smith Jr. suspended after fight in Saturday’s game. Utah Jazz guard Kris Dunn has been suspended for two games by the league for instigating a fight with Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. during their game on Saturday. Smith also received a one-game suspension for his involvement in the altercation. The incident occurred early in the second quarter when the players started throwing punches, but were quickly separated by teammates and officials, leading to their ejections from the game.

Today’s trivia requires you to dig into multiple pockets of your brain, testing your knowledge of recent events as well as those that happened decades ago.

See how many of the below questions you can get correct. Answers are provided at the end of the newsletter.

Question #1- Jalen Williams and Steve Nash both played college basketball at what university?

Question #2- Retired MLB player Torii Hunter played for three teams during his MLB career- the Anaheim Angels, Detroit Tigers, and what other team?

Question #3- Peyton Manning, Trent Green, and what St. Louis Rams quarterback ranked first, second, and third, respectively, in passing yards during the 2003 NFL season?

Anyone know what has happened on March 25th throughout history? We didn’t have a clue either, but it appears that it has been a busy day.

On March 25th…

1972- The 34th NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship is contested between UCLA and Florida. The UCLA Bruins emerged victorious in the contest, winning by a final score of 81-76. The win gave UCLA its sixth-consecutive national championship, and future Hall of Fame center Bill Walton was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

1972- Chicago Blackhawks star Bobby Hull becomes the second player in NHL history to score 600 career goals. Hull scored the milestone goal in a 5-5 tie with the Boston Bruins, one that was assisted by his brother Dennis. He would end his career with 610 goals, which currently ranks him 18th on the NHL’s all-time list.

1982- NHL legend Wayne Gretzky becomes the first player in NHL history to score 200 points in a season. Gretzky would go on to finish the season with 212 points, which included 92 goals and 120 assists. He is still the only player to ever reach the 200 point mark, and he accomplished the feat on four separate occasions.

1. Santa Clara University

2. Minnesota Twins

3. Marc Bulger