NBA Basketball Preview: Dallas Mavericks at Washington Wizards

Added on Feb 26, 2011 by Jack Thurman in

NBA

With the NBA trade deadline now behind us, this is the point of the year when the good teams start to step up their game while the bad teams start to pack it in for the year. We think this matchup will present a classic example of that situation as the Dallas Mavericks travel to Washington, DC to take on the Washington Wizards.

Dallas Mavericks at Washington Wizards
February 26, 2011 5:05 PM Pacific

The Washington Wizards’ home record looks semi-decent at 14-14 and especially compared with their dismal 1-28 road record but don’t let that fool you–this is a flat out bad team. Much of their relative success at the Verizon Center came earlier this season and was more based on individual effort from John Wall and not reflective of the entire team. The Wizards enter this game having lost 4 straight, 8 of 10 and 15 of 18. During their last 18 games they’re only 6-12 ATS so it’s not like they’re playing hard and coming up short to good teams–they’re getting pounded on most nights.

That’s particularly bad news here as they’re facing a red hot, veteran laden Dallas Mavericks team that’s been one of the better road investments in the NBA this season. Dallas has won 4 straight, 9 of their last 10 and 15 of their last 17–numbers almost diametrically opposite from the Wizards’ wretched recent form. Mavs are 19-8 SU/18-9 ATS on the road this season and have dominated the Southeast Division going 8-1 SU/ATS. They’re also a team that has shown an ability to sustain momentum when they’re playing well–after a win by 10+ points this year Dallas is 12-2 SU/10-3 ATS. After 3+ consecutive wins they’re 20-4 SU/17-6 ATS. As the season has progressed they’ve started to destroy teams that don’t play solid team defense and–surprise, surprise–Washington fits in that category. Against opponents allowing 99+ PPG Dallas has won 10 of their L11 SU in this spot going 8-3 against the pointspread.

This is a generous price to lay on the road but essentially this is a matchup between a good team that’s getting better and a bad team playing out the string. We love John Wall’s game but he’s starting to ‘hit the wall’ and doesn’t have much help around him. Wizards played last night at Miami and actually put up a solid effort, losing by 8 as +15′ point underdogs which means this is a ‘letdown spot’ against the lower profile Mavs and they’ll be traveling to play back to back. Washington just 2-12 SU/5-9 ATS in back to back situations. Dallas has covered 8 of the L13 meetings in Washington.

Bet Dallas Mavericks -9 over Washington Wizards