Lots on the Line – Houston Rockets at Dallas Mavericks

BetOnline NBA Basketball Odds: PICK’EM, Total 189

Here are some of the NBA basketball betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* HOU has covered four of its last five games

* HOU has won its last five games SU

* HOU has covered one of its last five road games

* HOU has won six of its last nine road games SU

* HOU has played eight of its last 11 road games UNDER the total

* DALL has won four of its last five games SU

* DALL has covered ten of its last 15 home games

* DALL has won 13 of its last 14 home games SU

* DALL has played nine of its last 13 home games OVER the total

Also…

* DALL has covered 12 of the last 16 meetings

* DALL has covered four of the last six meetings as the home team

* DALL has won seven of the last nine meetings SU as the home team

* Four of the last five meetings in Houston have gone OVER the total

* HOU has had the shooting edge in four of the last six meetings

* DALL has had the rebounding edge in seven of the last ten meetings

The Rockets always look real good until they get to the playoffs. But we’ll get around to that soon enough. What’s important to understand is that the Rockets are in a three-way tie with Portland and San Antonio for third place in the West, and Dallas is tied with New Orleans for the sixth spot. The Mavs accomplished one critical thing, which was to avoid having to play the Lakers in the opening round. That honor will go to the Utah Jazz.

Yao Ming missed a game for Houston against Dallas back on November 19, and the Mavs won by a 96-86 score. He has been experiencing pain in his foot, but declared himself ready to play on Monday, scoring 22 points as his team walloped New Orleans by an 86-66 margin. Houston shot 46% in that game, which is better than its season average, but went 54% and 50% in the previous two games.

If Dallas is motivated, however, the Mavs might be a difficult team to stop the way they are playing at the American Airlines Center. Dallas is on a 13-1 SU roll at home, and they have found a way to win even when not shooting well, as was the case last Friday against the Hornets when they came away with a 100-92 decision despite only 40% marksmanship.

We can appreciate the edge Houston has on the defensive end, especially if Yao plays considerable minutes, but all this has produced for the Rockets is a 20-20 record, both straight-up and on the road as the visitor. Will that change here, with a lot on the line? We can tell you that the aging but wise Jason Kidd will not be over-matched, as his counterpart, Aaron Brooks, has just eight assists in his last five games. Let’s go with the home-standing Mavs, at pick’em in the BetOnline NBA pro basketball online betting odds.

JAY’S PLAY:  DALLAS (Pick) **

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