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Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks Free NBA Pick & Preview

Celtics vs Mavs Online Betting Odds

The Boston Celtics will make the trip out to the American Airlines Center for a date with the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. [ad-4468020]

Boston Celtics (22-45) at Dallas Mavericks (40-27)
Date: Monday, March 17, 2014
Time: 8:30 PM ET
Venue: American Airlines Center
City: Dallas, Texas
O/U Odds: 203
Spread: Dallas -11.5
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Boston comes to town having lost four games in a row, and 11 of its last 14, while Dallas has really picked up its play in anticipation of a playoff run, winning four of five and 14 of its last 20 games.
While wins haven’t been in the cards for the Celtics, the team has picked up its competitive fire of late.

Boston took a good New Orleans team to overtime and lost by just a single point, staying within seven of a desperate Phoenix team, and lost by only 11 points in Indiana. Not anything to write home about, but they don’t belong alongside the Philadelphias and Milwaukees of the world as teams that need to get big spreads in their favor.

As for the Mavericks, they are right where they want to be, in a position to go on a run which will carry them into the playoffs. The team picked up a huge, momentum-building win over Oklahoma City on Sunday night, claiming a 109-86 decision.
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Forward Shawn Marion led the team in points with 19, and Vince Carter chipped in 18 off the bench, while Dirk Nowitzki knocked down half of his shots for 17 points, but it was the play of the team’s point guard that really stood out.

Jose Calderon was surely happy to hear that Russell Westbrook was out for the game, and Calderon took advantage of favorable matchups to really fill out his stat line, scoring 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, knocking down four of eight shots from beyond the arc, and adding seven assists, five rebounds, two steals, and a block.

While Dallas certainly enters this contest in better form and has the advantage of getting this game at home, the Mavericks know that they need to pile on the wins down the stretch if they hope to hold off Phoenix and Memphis to remain in the playoff hunt in the highly competitive Western Conference.

Getting a win and getting out of town will surely be their goal, and getting a blowout won’t be on anyone’s mind. The letdown factor of coming off a big win over Oklahoma City could play a factor as well.

As for Boston, while their win/loss record might not indicate it, the team has not been getting blown out of the water, and has actually picked up its play of late.

The Celtics are 5-1 ATS in their last six road games against opponents with a winning home record, and are 6-2 ATS in their last eight games played on the second night of a back-to-back.

The play: Boston +11.5

By Gino Bottero

Gino is new to CappersPicks.com but NOT new to the online gambling industry.He's got an AMAZING knack for discovering hidden gems when it comes to betting on sports. Stick with him as he predicts when a team will have a letdown! Check Gino out for NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB betting articles all season long!