Tuesday, June 7, 2011

NBA Finals Betting Preview-Game 4: Miami Heat at Dallas Mavericks

Pointspread: Dallas -3

Over/Under: 186.5

The Miami Heat will look to win their second road game in-a-row this Tuesday night to try and take a commanding 3-1 series lead in Game 4 of their best-of-seven NBA Finals matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. (ET) and the game will be broadcast nationally on ABC.

Miami was able to preserve an 88-86 win over the Mavericks this past Sunday night as a 2 ½-point road underdog when Dirk Nowitzki?s jumper in the closing seconds missed the mark. The victory raised the Heat?s record to 5-3 on the road in these playoffs both straight-up and against the spread. The total stayed ?under? the 188.5 point total and has now stayed ?under? in five of the eight games.

LeBron James has grabbed most of the headlines for Miami this postseason, but Game 3 was Dwyane Wade?s turn to shine as he poured in a team-high 29 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the way. James finished the night with 17 points and nine assists. The Heat shot 43.6 percent from the floor and outscored Dallas in the paint 40-22.

You cannot fault Nowitzki for Sunday night?s loss as once again he led the team in scoring with 34 points and rebounds with 11. Shawn Merion struggled from the floor shooting 4-for-12 and Mavericks as a whole went 8-for-21 from three-point range. They did have a 42-36 edge in total rebounds and converted on 81.5 percent of their free-throws, but still came up a few points short in the end.

The loss in Game 3 dropped Dallas to 13-5 SU and 13-4-1 ATS. It is 7-2 SU at home this postseason and 6-3 ATS. The total has gone ?over? in five of its nine home games and is 9-8-1 overall, but has stayed ?under? in three of its last four games.

Three games into this series, these teams have had the chance to get to know one another pretty well. This game hinges Miami?s ability to contain Nowitzki and force Dallas into taking bad shots. Once again, things come down to the final buzzer, but this time the Mavericks? all-everything power forward wins the game by draining the final shot.

NBA Finals Betting Preview-Game 4: Miami Heat at Dallas Mavericks

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