NBA Betting Line – Blazers, Mavs Matchup Offers Possible Playoff Glimpse

If the 2009-10 NBA regular season ended today, the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers would face each other in the first round of the playoffs.

Tonight, each team will look to cover the NBA betting line and maintain pace with the rest of the Western Conference postseason ballclubs when they take to the court for battle at the Rose Garden at 10 PM ET.

Friday, April 9, 10:05 PM ET

NBA Betting Odds: Blazers -4
(O/U) 192

TV: CSN-POR, FSSW-DAL, RTV
Radio: NBALP, KESN, KXTG

Dallas Mavericks (51-27 SU, 33-44-1 ATS, 41-37 O/U)
Portland Trail Blazers (48-30 SU, 42-34-2 ATS, 41-37 O/U)

Here is a look at the key head-to-head trends as they relate to tonight’s matchup.

Under is 15-6 in the last 21 meetings.
Underdog is 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings.

Dallas 411
Mavericks are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a road underdog.
Mavericks are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 road games.
Mavericks are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
Mavericks are 2-10 ATS in their last 12 vs. NBA Northwest.

The Mavericks pounded the Memphis Grizzlies 110-84 on Wednesday to snap a two-game SU and ATS losing streak as Caron Butler scored a team-high 23 points and Dirk Nowitzki added 22 points and nine rebounds. Dallas covered the NBA betting line as a 9.5-point home favorite to move to 4-2 ATS over the last six games.

Portland 411
Trail Blazers are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 vs. NBA Southwest.
Trail Blazers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games as a favorite.
Trail Blazers are 5-2-1 ATS in their last 8 games overall.
Trail Blazers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.

Power forward LaMarcus Aldridge had a fine double-double with 27 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Trail Blazers to a 93-85 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

Shooting guard, Brandon Roy added 23 points and dished out six assists in the win but Portland failed to cover the pro basketball betting line as a 9-point road favorite to fall to 1-2 ATS over the last three games.

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Analysis: While I’m a bit disappointed in the Dallas Mavericks and their recent play (5-5 SU in L/10) I am going to advise pro basketball betting enthusiasts to play the Dallas Mavericks to cover the NBA betting line against a Portland Trail Blazers team that is playing very solid basketball right now and spanked the Mavs 101-89 as a 3.5-point home favorite on March 25.

Dallas may have lost three straight to Portland coming into this contest, but the Mavericks have also gone 4-1 ATS in their last five games as a road underdog and an even more impressive 7-2 ATS in their last nine road games overall.

I realize the Trail Blazers have gone 4-1 ATS in their last five games as a favorite and 5-2-1 ATS in their last eight games overall, but the Underdog in this series has gone 8-3 ATS in the last 11 meetings and the Mavericks have posted a solid 5-2 ATS in their last seven road games versus a team with a winning home record.

Cementing my pick of the Mavericks to cover the NBA betting line tonight is the fact that the Trail Blazers have gone just 1-4 ATS in their last five home games against a team with a winning road record.

Play the Mavs to cover the NBA betting line while pushing the Blazers hard for the outright win.

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