Dallas Mavericks at Denver Nuggets
Wednesday, 2/8/12, 9:00 PM EST, TV: ALT
Opening Point Spread: Denver -1.5
Current Betting Line: Denver -1
Opening Total: 196
Current Total: 196.5
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Dallas has lost three consecutive games and will be looking to gain revenge from an earlier 115-93 blowout loss to the Denver Nuggets as 4.5-point home favorites on Dec. 26. The Mavericks have dropped all three of those contests against the spread, while going “under” the total in each game during that span. “It’s ugly, especially since we have to sit on this one for a couple of days,” commented Mavericks star forward Dirk Nowitzki. “We’ll enjoy our day off and come back to work.” Dallas is 6-5 ATS on the road this year and the “under” is 7-4 in those contests.
The Mavericks are 5-6 on the road this season, which includes a losing 3-5 mark versus Western Conference opponents. Dallas comes in averaging a league-best 44.2 bench points per game. Offensively, the team has struggled over its past three games, averaging just 87.0 points in that span. Nowitzki seems to be breaking out of his 2011-12 slump, scoring a season-high 30 points two games back, while pouring in 24 points in a 91-88 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers last time out.
Denver comes in with its own set of problems and will also be looking to snap a three-game losing streak, which includes a disappointing 99-90 loss to the Houston Rockets as 6.5-point home favorites. The Nuggets have gone “under” the total in four of five games and will begin life without leading scorer Danilo Gallinari, who suffered an ankle injury in that contest. “It’s going to be tough,” commented Gallinari. “Hopefully we can make a good stretch run.” Denver is 4-2 ATS after three or more consecutive losses the last two-plus seasons.
The Nuggets are 11-4 against the Mavericks in head-to-head matchups since the 2007-08 season. Denver has lost three straight home games for just the third time under head coach George Karl. There’s no question that starting point guard Ty Lawson will need to up his offensive production, which could start in this contest, scoring a season-high 27 points versus the Mavericks in the team’s season opener. The Nuggets have averaged 110.8 points during their current four-game win streak in this series.
Bettors will likely back the Mavericks due to their 13-3-1 ATS mark as an underdog, while the favorite is 0-5 ATS in the last five meetings in this series.
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