Mavericks Lakers Betting – Defending Champions Aim To Look The Part Against Dallas
After splitting the first four games of their opening round series with the New Orleans Hornets, there were those that questioned the strength of the defending NBA champions in this year’s postseason. But after back-to-back wins to close out the series, the Los Angeles Lakers look determined and able to make another sports betting title run. That journey will continue against the Dallas Mavericks in the second round after they knocked off the Portland Trail Blazers in six.
The difference between this year’s Lakers’ team and past years is experience, whereas in the past the team would be more willing to flex its muscle on a game by game basis, the 2011 team has only shown glimpses of how strong they can be when it has been needed. Some of that has had to do with age and fatigue, but the fact remains that as soon as Los Angeles felt a bit of pressure from the Hornets, Kobe Bryant and company took over and absolutely dominated the final two games. For a team that looked to have met their match in the first round, winning the final couple of contests by 18 and 16 points respectively was a statement that will echo through to the next round where they will meet the Mavericks.
Dallas on the other hand has yet to prove that they can take their game to that level, but after holding off the Trail Blazers in the opening round the team will look to build on that effort when they face a much tougher challenge. The Mavericks aimed to treat game six at Portland as though it was an elimination game, and it paid off as they managed to withstand everything that was thrown at them. It wasn’t enough to make fans in Dallas forget about the struggles that this team has had in past postseasons, but it set the stage for another crucial battle. Guard Jason Terry talked about how this team is as confident as they have ever been in this year’s playoffs, which has a lot to do with the amount of veterans that they have. The spotlight will once again be on leading scorer Dirk Nowitzi, but a deeper supporting cast should really help make a difference with the Kentucky derby betting race right around the corner.
Unlike the MLB betting Dodgers, the state of the NBA franchise is a strength in Los Angeles, and a third straight title clearly isn’t out of the question. The Lakers hold the edge in nearly every aspect of this matchup, and the additional factors such as experience will play in their favor as well. This series won’t be quick, as the Mavericks should be able to push it to six or even seven games, but once Bryant and company feel their backs against the wall the outlook will change and the series will come to an end with the defending champions looking every bit the part.
