Dallas Mavericks at Cleveland Cavaliers (-7.5, 196)
This will be a clash of the titans Saturday night. These two conference powers are both an NBA-best 8-2 in their past 10 games and are leading their respective divisions.
Cleveland, however, has owned the Mavericks the past season-plus. The Cavaliers are 7-2 ATS in the team’s past nine meetings, including three consecutive straight-up wins in their past three meetings. But Cleveland’s hot streak has coincided with an injury to center Shaquille O’Neal, which has enabled the team to play small ball and run an up-tempo attack.
The Diesel figures to return in time for this matchup, meaning the team will likely slow the pace and play into the hands of a deep Dallas team that is starting to gel and loves to push the action with dynamic point guard Jason Kidd.
Quicken Loans Arena is no longer a place where road teams go to get a beat down.
Pick: Mavericks +7.5
Orlando Magic at Milwaukee Bucks (+6, 193)
The Bucks are finding out what an amazing difference an All-Star caliber guard can make with stud rookie Brandon Jennings.
Milwaukee is a surprising 8-5 overall and an impressive 6-1 at home, posting a scoring margin of plus-3.3, the fifth-best mark in the Eastern Conference. In their past nine home games, the Bucks are 7-2 ATS.
Meantime, the Magic are coming off a convincing, 93-76 win over the Hawks in Atlanta, a big win against one of top teams in the East. But Orlando still is without injured guard Jameer Nelson, and the Bucks should be able to take advantage with Jennings’s athleticism. Charlie Bell also should matchup nicely with his length against the athletic Vince Carter.
Pick: Bucks +6