Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder Betting Odds


Opening Line: Dallas +3.5 / Oklahoma City -3.5 O/U 195

Time: 8 PM EST Tuesday February 16, 2010 on FSOKHD

Tonight in a Western Conference match up the Oklahoma City Thunder host the new look Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs were the first team to pull the trigger on a big trade, as they improved their squad with the addition of Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson. Butler was the key player Dallas wanted, as this season he has averaged 16.9 ppg and 6.7 rpg and he is a solid perimeter defender.

The Thunder did not want the All Star weekend to come, as they had won 6 straight before the break and are currently in the 6th position in the Western Conference. The Mavs are hoping the trade can give them a lift, as before the break they were only 4-6 in their last 10 games, but they still are in the 4th position in the West.

This season the Thunder are 15-10 at home and 32-19 ATS and the Mavericks are 17-11 on the road and 21-31 ATS.

Both teams had their last games before the break on February 9th, but with different results, as the Thunder beat the Portland Trailblazers 89-77 while the Mavs lost to the Denver Nuggets 127-91.

The Mavs could really use the new guys of Butler and Hayward to play some D, as in the Mavs last 8 games they have given up an average of 112.4 ppg.

Dallas really has to play some defense against the red hot Kevin Durant (29.7 ppg), who ranks 2nd in the league in scoring and has scored at least 25 points in 25 straight games.

Haywood (9.8 ppg 10.3 rpg) and Erick Dampier (7.2 ppg 8.3 rpg) are now a solid big man duo in Dallas and the Thunder are thin on the inside and have to body up on these guys and not allow them to have easy buckets in the paint and dominate the boards. That responsibility falls on veterans Nenad Krstic (8.1 ppf 4.9 rpg) and Nick Collison (5.4 ppg 5.1 rpg).

Dirk Nowitzki (24.6 ppg) and Jason Kidd (9.3 ppg) are the leaders of the Mavs and they have to learn to integrate the new players into the lineup.

Russell Westbrook (16 ppg) and Jeff Green (14.5 ppg) have to shoot the rock well tonight to offset the fact that Oklahoma City's inside offense is mediocre at best.

On paper Dallas is a much better team with their new additions, but it may take time to gel as a team and it will be hard in their first game together facing a streaking Thunder team.

Oklahoma City is 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games, 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games against team with a winning road record, and has an Under record of 6-2-1 in their last 9 games against teams with a winning road record.

Dallas is 2-5 ATS in their last 7 road games, 1-4 ATS in their last 5 road games against teams with a winning home record, and has an Over record of 4-1 in their last 5 road games.

In the last 7 meetings between these 2 teams the total has gone Under 5 times.

Our Selection : The Mavs pulled off a huge seven player trade during the all start break. All three of the players aquired are expected to suit up tonight, but we believe that it will take them awhile to gel. Dallas did win both games in this match-up this season including a 14 point blow out on this court. We don't see the Mavericks pulling off another victory tonight. Dallas was struggling before the break losing 5 of their last 7. They now face a hot Thunder team who has won their last 4 in a row with double revenge on their mind. Take Oklahoma City -3.5


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