Dallas Mavericks at Miami Heat
Monday, 12/20/10, 7:30 PM EDT, TV: NBATV
Opening Point Spread: Miami -6
Current Betting Line: Miami -6.5
Opening Total: 191.5
Current Total: 190.5
Dallas picked up its 14th victory in 15 games with a 106-91 victory over the Phoenix Suns and will now be looking to win its seventh in a row in Miami. “It’s gonna be a very challenging game for us,” said coach Rick Carlisle. “I’m sure they’ll be thinking about revenge and all that stuff. It’s a challenge we’re looking forward to.” The Mavericks have posted a 21-5 overall record and 8-1 mark on the road, but just one of those contests came against the Eastern Conference. The team picked up a 98-93 road win over the Atlanta Hawks on November 20. Dallas is a perfect 6-0 ATS as an underdog this season and 8-1 ATS on the road. The club is currently getting points on the NBA lines page.
The Mavericks have won 13 straight regular season meetings with Miami, including 16 of the last 17 match-ups. Dallas garnered a 106-95 win in the series on November 27 at the American Airlines Center, with forward Caron Butler leading all scorers with 23 points. The defense held Miami’s Big Three to a combined 67 points in the victory and has been a key part to the team’s success. Offensively, Dallas has recorded a 14-0 record on the year when recording 100-plus points in a game, while the defense has allowed just six opponents to go over the century mark.
Miami slipped by Washington with a 95-94 road victory and the team was pleased to come away with a win despite not having its best game. “You see the Boston Celtics, Lakers and Spurs pull out games when they don’t play well,” said guard Dwyane Wade. “We were able to do that.” The Heat seem to have a capable roster in breaking its long dry spell against tonight’s opponents, especially with Chris Bosh, LeBron James and Wade all averaging more than 20 points in their careers against Dallas. Miami’s 12-game winning streak has moved its overall record to 21-8 and will look to improve upon its 12-3 mark at home. The squad is 5-9 ATS at home this season.
The Heat are 20-28 all-time versus the Mavericks in the regular season and 11-13 in games played in Miami. Miami has won 10 of its last 12 contests by double-digits and is just two games shy of its longest win streak in franchise history. “I think everything is a lot smoother on both ends of the floor,” Bosh commented. “We knew it was going to take time for us to come together.” The defensive unit has been very impressive in the early going, ranking first in opponent field goal percentage (.424) and 3-point field goal percentage (.304), while sitting second in points allowed (91.2).
Bettors will be interested in knowing that the Mavericks are 0-3-1 ATS on two days rest, while the Heat are 4-9 ATS as a home favorite.
The NBA handicappers at Maddux Sports are off to a flying start and ready for you to join in on the winning tonight!
