Dallas at Golden State
Time: 10:30 PM ET, Mar 11, 2014
Spread: GSW -5.5
M/L: GSW -220; DAL +180
Total: 207
Betting odds courtesy of Bovada
The Dallas Mavericks trail the Golden State Warriors by two games for the sixth spot in the Western Conference. Obtaining that seed may be vital given the dominance of the West’s top two teams, San Antonio and Oklahoma City. The Warriors will host the Mavericks in a game NBA oddsmakers are favoring Golden State by 5.5 points.
The Warriors have won its past four games and eight of its last 10. Golden State defeated Phoenix 113-107 on Sunday night (Mar 9) as David Lee scored 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds. The Warriors have vastly improved its defense this season and are surrendering the 8th fewest points in the NBA (98.7 points per game), while scoring 103.5 as a team.
In addition to being strong defensively, the Warriors have great depth. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Lee lead the way scoring, but the Warriors have a strong and capable bench. Steve Blake has helped the team cut down on turnovers and will be a vital addition for his veteran leadership. Jordan Crawford was also acquired at the trade deadline and though his role is yet unclear, he is a good source of instant offense.
Dallas is 38-26 on the season but did score a big 105-94 win over Indiana on Sunday afternoon. The Mavs are strong offensively but also give up a good bit of points, ranking 8th in the NBA in offense (104.5 points per game) while ranking in the bottom-third defensively (20th, 102.2 allowed per game).
The Mavs will remain competitive as long as Dirk Nowitzki is a viable offensive option, but it’s difficult to see this team making waves in the playoffs given the number of defensive liabilities it has on the perimeter, from Monta Ellis to Vince Carter.
DAL Trends: UNDER 4-0 in last 4 vs teams with winning SU records; OVER 5-0 in last 5 road games; OVER 9-1 in last 10 when opponent allows 100 points or more in previous game.
GSW Trends: Warriors 4-0 ATS in last 4 following ATS loss; UNDER 6-0 in last 6 Tuesday games; UNDER 6-1-1 in last 8 games following SU win.
Head-to-head: UNDER 4-0 in last 4 meetings; Mavericks 6-2 ATS in last 8 meetings in Golden State.
