NBA Handicapping – Dallas Mavericks vs Boston Celtics
The Mavericks will be coming off a road game in Detroit, while the Celtics should be well-rested and ready to put Friday night’s home loss to the Indiana Pacers behind them as they look to post their third win of their current five game home stand.
Date/Time: 8:00 PM ET, Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Venue: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Broadcast: ESPN
Spread: Celtics -5.5
Over/Under: OFF
The Pacers hadn’t won a game in Boston since 2007, but that didn’t matter as they snapped their seven-game losing streak in Beantown with a 87-74 win.
The Celtics shot just 39.4 percent, including a 26.5 percent during the first half in which Boston tied a franchise low with 25 points.
The Pacers bench also outscored Boston’s, 33-14, while holding a 47-36 edge in rebounds, including 14-7 on the offensive glass. Indy also led 42-28 on points in the paint and 19-5 on second-chance points.
The only good news in this one was that Ray Allen returned after missing one game with an illness and scored 23 points for the Celtics, who for the first time this season lost a game with their starting lineup intact. Paul Pierce, who missed the first three games — all losses — scored 10 points on 3-for-17 shooting.
The loss dropped the Celts to 4-4 on the year as they continue to look winded after the first three minutes of each game. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Meanwhile, last year’s NBA champions Dallas, stumbled coming out of the gate, and after starting the season with three straight losses, had won 4 out of 6 heading into their game with Detroit on Tuesday.
Now, just days after meeting President Obama and taking a tour through the White House, it’s time for the Mavericks to get back to work.
They are scheduled to play two straight and six of their next eight games away from the Big D and that’s not good for a Mav’s squad that is averaging just 85 points away from home and shooting only 38.5 percent on opposing courts – both numbers are fourth-lowest in the NBA.
The blame for the Mavericks’ road troubles falls squarley on the offense which, after losing 104-102 to Oklahoma City, has managed totals of 82 and 71 points in losses to Minnesota and San Antonio, respectively. The one player successful on the road is point guard Delonte West (12.7 ppg road/ 5.7 ppg home).
Free Pick: Boston —I am afraid that Dallas road troubles will follow them to Beantown, where the Celtics are playing well.
