Gamble On NBA: Mavs vs 76ers
The defending NBA Champions seem to have hit their stride of late. After a slow start to the year, the Mavericks have won five straight games to get to 19-11 on the season.
NBA Basketball Matchup: Dallas Mavericks vs. Philadelphia 76ers
8:00 PM EST on ESPN
NBA Gambling Odds from BetOnline
NBA Betting Favorite: 76ers -4
Over/Under: 181.5
Philadelphia has been one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this year.
Doug Collins’ team is 20-10 and atop the NBA Eastern Conference. The Mavericks have been one of the league’s best road teams over the last few years, while the 76ers are tough at home.
This has all the makings of a great game.
Dirk Nowitzki’s numbers are down across the board from last year, but he is just now getting back to 100 percent health. Nowitzki is only shooting 23.6% from beyond the arc, but I fully expect him to find his rhythm as the season goes along.
Shawn Marion was one of the most undervalued players on this team last year, and he continues to be a defensive standout for the Mavericks. Vince Carter is developing a reputation as a very good outside shooter this year.
Carter is knocking down 46% of his three-point attempts. The Mavericks need Lamar Odom to make a bigger contribution going forward, and I expect him to do that as he gets more comfortable in the system.[soliloquy id=”82219″]
Philadelphia has taken on the personality of its coach. Doug Collins preaches tough defense and the Sixers are one of the best defensive teams in the league this year.
Opponents are averaging just 87.3 points per game against Philadelphia. The backcourt of Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday has done a very solid job for this team. Williams leads the team in scoring at 16 points per game.
Andre Iguodala is averaging six boards and five assists per game. In the frontcourt, the development of Spencer Hawes as a great defensive force has helped this team a great deal. It’s hard to think of another team with as much overall team depth as the 76ers. Eleven players average at least a quarter of playing time each game.
Both defenses are good, and this should be a game where the offenses struggle to find a flow.
I like the way Dallas is playing like right now, so I think the value is with the underdog.
Prediction: Dallas 95 Philadelphia 93
