Golden State Warriors AT Dallas Mavericks
Tuesday, 12/07/2010 8:30 EST
Opening Betting line:  Dallas Mavericks -10
Current Betting line:  Dallas Mavericks -9
Current Total: Undefined

Golden State enters tonight’s game with an 8-12 record and has struggled mightly since starting the season with a 4-1 record.  They have lost their last three games and won only 2 of their last 10.  Dallas, meanwhile, is only the hottest team in basketball.  They have won nine straight games, and are 16-4 overall.  During the winning streak, they have knocked off Utah, in Utah; Miami, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City.  Their last loss was almost three weeks ago on November 19th to the Bulls.

What has enabled Dallas to be so successful is their suffocating defense.  Giving up a 3rd best in the league 92.2 points a game has enabled Dallas to win by an average of 5.9 points per game.  They are 2nd in opponents field goal percentage, allowing 43.1% shooting.

Dallas sports an 8-3 record at home and are 10-3 against the Western Conference.  On the other side of the coin, Golden State is the third worst defensive team in the league, giving up 106.9 points a game, while scoring 101.8 per game, a -5.1 average.

Dallas is 4-5-2 ATS at home and Golden State is 6-5 ATS on the road.  Overall, Golden State is 10-10 ATS and Dallas is 11-7-2.  Golden State is 3-7 ATS in their last ten games, while Dallas is 7-3 ATS in their last 10.  Dallas has won the last three matchups against Golden State, as well.

Key Matchups in tonight’s game include:

Point Guard – Stephen Curry vs. Jason Kidd

Curry burst onto the NBA scene last year with an awesome second half of the season in which he averaged 42.6 minutes a game.  This year, his minutes are down from that stretch of game to 34:30 per game, but his scoring average is up over last year’s 17.5 ppg to 21.2 this year.  In addition to scoring 21+ he is averaging 5.8 assists per game and ripping the ball away frequently for 2.3 steals per game.  Last game, against Oklahoma City, Curry got the best of Russell Westbrook in a 39 point outburst in which he shot 70% from the floor (14 of 20 & 4 of 7 from three).  Excluding a 9 point stinker against Phoenix, Curry has scored 20+ in 5 of his last 6 games.  Kidd is having a typical Jason Kidd season, and his minutes are down slightly (33 per game this year) from years’ past.  His shooting has been worse than in recent years, only shooting 36% from the floor and 35.7% from three.  Other than the slightly off shooting, though, it has been business as usual for Kidd.  Last game against Sacramento he was a dismal 2 of 10 from the floor, though Dallas still eeked out a 2 point win in that game.

Power Forward – David Lee vs. Dirk Nowitzki

While Dirk Nowitzki remains one of the top players in the game and almost unarguably the best international player ever, he faces a formidable opponent tonight in David Lee.  Lee made his first all star team last season, averaging better than 20 & 11 for the New York Knicks.  His numbers are down drastically this year, as there are more scoring options in Golden State, but he is still scoring 14.6 a game while hauling in 10.0 boards a game.  His shooting percentage is down below 50% for the first time in his 6 year NBA career.  It goes without saying that Lee will have his hands full with Nowitzki, one of the best one on one players in the game.  Dirk’s stats are right about at his career average, with 24.9 ppg and 7.7 rpg.  His field goal percentage, however, is at a career high 55.3%, enabling him to maintain his  scoring average of past years with slightly fewer shots.  In his last two games, he is 23 of 33 from the floor, for a blistering 69%.  David Lee, while not notoriously known as a good defender, does have the length to match up with Dirk and he will have to limit Dirk’s open jumpers and force him to put it on the floor, as Lee has superior quickness to Nowitzki.

The game brings two opposing styles together and there will be a balance and counter balance of Golden State trying to push the pace while Dallas seeks to play a half court game.  The Mavs have disposed of some quality opponents this year and Golden State is a poor road team (3-8).  The Mavs will look to exploit that in obtaining their 10th consecutive win.