Steve Merril
(3% play) OKLAHOMA CITY -6 (at Dallas) - 8:35 pm ET #863
Oklahoma City is playing their best basketball of the season right now. The Thunder come into this game on a 6-game winning streak, and they are 8-1 SU during their last nine games overall. Oklahoma City has scored 101 points or more in 13 of their last 14 games; they scored 99 points in the lone game they failed to eclipse the century mark. The Thunder are averaging 107.8 points per game on 46.7% shooting from the field over their last five games. Oklahoma City will face a Dallas defense that has given up 108 points or more in four of their last six games. The Thunder have scored 104 points or more in their last seven meetings against Dallas, and there is no reason to expect anything different in tonight’s game.
Dallas comes into this game off back-to-back overtime wins at home over the Celtics and Timberwolves. But now the Mavericks are taking a huge step-up in class against Oklahoma City, and their good fortune will run out in this game. Dallas’ offense is not in good current form; they’ve scored 98 points or less in regulation time over their last five games, and in seven of their last eight games overall. The Mavericks are only averaging 95.8 points per game on 40.2% shooting from the field and 30.4% shooting from three-point land over their last five games. That’s not good considering Oklahoma City’s defense has allowed just 91 points per game on 40.9% shooting from the field and 29.8% shooting from three-point land over their last five games. Dallas is also battling nagging injuries to Dirk Nowitzki and Raymond Felton; both are listed as game-time decisions tonight. Oklahoma City is the superior team, so we’ll lay the points with the Thunder in this game on Friday night.
Play THUNDER (-) as a 3% play.
(3% play) OKLAHOMA CITY -6 (at Dallas) - 8:35 pm ET #863
Oklahoma City is playing their best basketball of the season right now. The Thunder come into this game on a 6-game winning streak, and they are 8-1 SU during their last nine games overall. Oklahoma City has scored 101 points or more in 13 of their last 14 games; they scored 99 points in the lone game they failed to eclipse the century mark. The Thunder are averaging 107.8 points per game on 46.7% shooting from the field over their last five games. Oklahoma City will face a Dallas defense that has given up 108 points or more in four of their last six games. The Thunder have scored 104 points or more in their last seven meetings against Dallas, and there is no reason to expect anything different in tonight’s game.
Dallas comes into this game off back-to-back overtime wins at home over the Celtics and Timberwolves. But now the Mavericks are taking a huge step-up in class against Oklahoma City, and their good fortune will run out in this game. Dallas’ offense is not in good current form; they’ve scored 98 points or less in regulation time over their last five games, and in seven of their last eight games overall. The Mavericks are only averaging 95.8 points per game on 40.2% shooting from the field and 30.4% shooting from three-point land over their last five games. That’s not good considering Oklahoma City’s defense has allowed just 91 points per game on 40.9% shooting from the field and 29.8% shooting from three-point land over their last five games. Dallas is also battling nagging injuries to Dirk Nowitzki and Raymond Felton; both are listed as game-time decisions tonight. Oklahoma City is the superior team, so we’ll lay the points with the Thunder in this game on Friday night.
Play THUNDER (-) as a 3% play.
