The Dallas Mavericks have a losing road record. They have injuries and are off back-to-back bad losses against the New Jersey Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.

In short, this is the best time to take the Mavericks.

On the future book you can still find odds as high as 8-1 and the Mavericks have as good an opportunity as any of the other elite teams to win the championship.

Make no mistake. The Mavericks remain an elite team despite their 12-14 away mark and current injuries to Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse, Erick Dampier and now Josh Howard is banged up after Monday's game against the Wizards. Let’s not forget Dallas’ 67-15 regular season record last year, best in the NBA.

Dirk Nowitzki is the reigning MVP and is continuing to blossom into a great all-around player. Howard is one of the most underrated players in the league, averaging 20.5 points and 7.5 rebounds.

Harris is an emerging point guard. He’s missed the past eight games because of a bruised left ankle, but isn’t going to be out forever. Dampier, DeSagana Diop and Brandon Bass provide front-court depth.

They are capable of handling the big men in the Western Conference with their defensive skills, rebounding abilities and 18 fouls to give. Dallas has a veteran bench with Stackhouse, Eddie Jones, Trenton Hassell, Devean George and Juwan Howard.

The Mavericks learned a crucial lesson from their shocking first-round loss to Golden State last season. They now are all about winning the playoffs, aiming to peak at the right time rather than going for the best record.

Thanks to Avery Johnson, the Mavericks remain committed to improving their defense. They’ve allowed an average of 90.5 points during their past nine games. That would rank them third in the NBA if computed for the entire season.

Keep in mind, Dallas still might add another key piece before the Feb. 21 trade deadline. Jason Kidd perhaps?

Then there is the rest of the West.

San Antonio is a mediocre 10-8 during its last 18 games. The Spurs have an aging bench. Phoenix's deal for Shaq remains a question mark.

Boston’s bench has been better than expected, but Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have proven brittle and Kevin Garnett already has gotten hurt. Detroit is too old.

The Pistons’ window of opportunity has closed. New Orleans doesn’t have the pedigree.

The Hornets are headed down after nearly reaching top level status.

Utah is solid, but lacks the defense to go all the way.

The Los Angeles Lakers made a strong statement by heisting Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies. Gasol, though, can be soft.

So there are the Mavs, swimming under the radar screen. They are still thought of as dangerous, but it’s the Suns, Lakers and Celtics drawing the publicity.

Even Mark Cuban has been fairly quiet. Forget not having home-court advantage. Elite teams overcome it during the playoffs.

The key is to peak come post-season, not in February. The Mavericks are going to be involved. The time to back them at a favorable price range is now before their upcoming momentum begins.

Stephen Nover is a professional handicapper and a Covers Expert. He is on a moneymaking tear with the NBA and you can get his guaranteed picks here.

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Posted by cocknocker
5 years ago

Dallas is in trouble if they don't get and stay healthy after the All Star break. One of the problems with them this year is that they lack cohesion. One need look no further than their injury report to see what's going on with their chemistry. As long as they continue to have nagging injuries, we will not be able to see completely what their team is about. And even when those guys come back from injury, their minutes have to be mixed in, and they will be of no good when it comes to covering the number right away. It takes a few games for a player to get meshed back into the fold before the team can be taken with money on them.
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Posted by SLEEUNIT
5 years ago

I like the idea of taking the Mavs, at a small price.....say $20. I took the Lakers in the offseason 50:1, for $10. We'll see if they can do it this year. They key is the value offered in a line, and that is the point of this article.
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Posted by andarmac99
5 years ago

If Dallas doesn't make a trade I wouldn't bet 1 cent on them to win the title. This team as they are WILL NOT win the title and betting any money on them is a terrible bet and a complete waste of money. We've seen it the last 2 years with this exact same group of players, they are soft and mentally weak. The fact that they are 12-14 on the road and are losing to terrible Eastern Conference teams should tell you enough. Unless they make a move stay far, far away from this mentally weak and soft team.
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Top Response

Posted by cocknocker
5 years ago

"Dallas is in trouble if they don't get and stay healthy after the All Star break. One of the problems with them this year is that they lack cohesion. One need look no further than their injury report to see what's going on with their chemistry. As lo..."

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Sports Betting Headlines »

Featured Free Play
MLB: Milwaukee vs. St. Louis
Pick:
St. Louis
Start:
May 18, 2013 - 7:15 PM
Capper:
Will Rogers
Offered at:
5dimes @ -170 St. Louis
Analysis:

I've cashed the Cardinals multiple times earlier in the week as a free play winner and think Saturday happens to be a good time to jump on them again as they host the Milwaukee Brewers. They took Friday's opener, 7-6, which was their 13th win in 16 games.  Milwaukee is going the other way right now, losing 13 of 15.  This series appears to be a big mismatch.  St. Louis is now 7-1 vs. Milwaukee this year.

Here are my keys to the game:

1.  Lance Lynn - I have to start here. He's 6-1 in his eight starts with a 2.88 ERA.  At home, he's 4-0 with a 2.00 ERA. Since his 1st start of the year, he's allowed more than three runs only one time.  Needless to say, I don't think Brewers starter Marco Estrada will be much match for him. Estrada has an 8.22 ERA his last three starts, though he did win his last.

2.  Hitting woes - The bottom four hitters in Milwaukee's lineup showed why they are hitting higher in the order Friday night, going a combined 0 for 15 Friday.  Heading into yesterday, the Brewers were averaging just 3.3 runs per game on the road.

3. X-Factor - The Cardinals seem to have solved their previous bullpen woes somewhat with Edward Mujica having saved all 12 games in 12 opportunities. 

Selection: The play is on the St. Louis Cardinals (1*).

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