Betting On Celtics Mavericks – Mavs Top Celtics In Grinding, Slow-Paced Contest

Sports betting players figured that the schedule would play havoc on the NBA season, and teams are playing more back-to-backs than ever before. A pair of veteran teams will be coming off Sunday games as Dallas hosts Boston on Monday night, and the Mavericks will come away with the victory in a game that will be dictated by a slower pace.

What: NBA Betting
When: Monday, February 20th, 8:00 PM ET
Where: American Airlines Arena, Dallas, TX
Pick: Dallas Mavericks

Why Bet On Boston Celtics (15-14 SU, 13-16 ATS)

The Celtics opened up a five-game road trip with an 89-80 loss in Chicago on Thursday night, which was their fourth loss in five games, and they were hammered on the boards by a count of 52-37. Rajon Rondo didn’t put up a triple-double as he did in Sunday’s win over the Bulls at home, but he still managed a line of 17 points, eight assists and seven boards with just one turnover, while Kevin Garnett had 18 points and rebounds for the Celtics, who shot 39.7% from the field in a physical, defensive-minded contest with the Bulls, who were without Derrick Rose. The Celtics were 3-of-15 from beyond the arc, but it wouldn’t have been that big of a deal if they could get on the offensive boards, where the Bulls grabbed 16 while Boston snatched just six.

Boston is still without Brandon Bass (knee), while Keyon Dooling (hip) and Mickael Pietrus (knee) are playing through their injuries, along with Garnett (hip), who probably won’t be 100% healthy all season. They have a few days off before facing Detroit on Sunday for a 6:00 PM ET start, and then it’s off to Dallas, so factor that into your NBA betting pick for this game. With the trade deadline around the corner, you have to wonder if general manager Danny Ainge is going to make a move to either improve the team or start the rebuilding process; this is surely the last run for this edition of the Celtics.

Why Bet On Dallas Mavericks (19-11 SU, 18-12 ATS)

The Mavericks still have to head to Philadelphia on Friday night, and then they have a Sunday afternoon contest in New York before travelling home to host the Celtics, so both teams will be travelling before this game. On Wednesday, the Mavericks used a balanced attack to down Denver by a score of 102-84 to extend their winning streak to five, and it was their second victory over the Nuggets during this streak. Shawn Marion led the way with 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, while Vince Carter added 15 points for the Mavericks, who had six players in double figures. Three-point shooting was also a factor as the Mavericks were 10-of-26 from long range, while the Nuggets were just 6-of-27, and Dallas’ defense was also smothering as they held Denver to 35.7% from the floor. Dallas has continued to play solid defense even without Tyson Chandler, who left for New York in the offseason and assistant coach Dwane Casey, one of the chief architects of their defensive systems who took over the reins in Toronto. The Mavericks are fifth in the league in points allowed, and that has kept them afloat while their offense comes together.

Dallas’ backcourt has been hit by absences as Jason Terry (quad, personal) will attempt to come back for Sunday’s game in New York, while Roddy Beaubois (personal) may also be out after the death of his father on Wednesday, but don’t bet on it. Delonte West (finger) will also miss this game, and that means the Mavericks will have to give more minutes to the second-year guard, who played 31 against the Nuggets. With an aging backcourt of Carter and Jason Kidd, Jones may be pressed into more action over the next few games.

How It Will Play Out

Look for the Mavericks to come away as the NBA betting favorites at home, where they are 10-7 ATS this season, while the Celtics are 5-5 ATS on the road. Boston has fared very well in Dallas over recent years, going 3-2 SU and 5-0 ATS in their last five meetings at American Airlines Arena, with four games going under the posted total, and that is a likely result again as there will be two veteran teams on the floor on Monday night; not to mention, the Celtics are first in points, and the Mavericks are four spots lower.

Both teams will need a spark from their bench, and Terry could provide that if he comes back for the Mavericks. This is going to be a game of execution and it’ll probably go down to the fourth quarter, and the tendency is to lean towards the home team in those situations. Beware of the spread, but take Dallas on their floor in your online betting picks.