The defending NBA Champions seem to have hit their stride of late. After a slow start to the year, the Mavericks have won five straight games to get to 19-11 on the season. <\/p>\n
NBA Basketball Matchup: Dallas Mavericks vs. Philadelphia 76ers Matchup<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Preview<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Philadelphia has been one of the biggest surprises in the NBA this year.<\/p>\n Doug Collins\u2019 team is 20-10 and atop the NBA Eastern Conference. The Mavericks have been one of the league\u2019s best road teams over the last few years, while the 76ers are tough at home.<\/p>\n This has all the makings of a great game.<\/p>\n Dirk Nowitzki\u2019s numbers are down across the board from last year, but he is just now getting back to 100 percent health. Nowitzki is only shooting 23.6% from beyond the arc, but I fully expect him to find his rhythm as the season goes along.<\/p>\n Shawn Marion was one of the most undervalued players on this team last year, and he continues to be a defensive standout for the Mavericks. Vince Carter is developing a reputation as a very good outside shooter this year.<\/p>\n Carter is knocking down 46% of his three-point attempts. The Mavericks need Lamar Odom to make a bigger contribution going forward, and I expect him to do that as he gets more comfortable in the system.[soliloquy id=”82219″]<\/p>\n Philadelphia has taken on the personality of its coach. Doug Collins preaches tough defense and the Sixers are one of the best defensive teams in the league this year.<\/p>\n Opponents are averaging just 87.3 points per game against Philadelphia. The backcourt of Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday has done a very solid job for this team. Williams leads the team in scoring at 16 points per game.<\/p>\n Andre Iguodala is averaging six boards and five assists per game. In the frontcourt, the development of Spencer Hawes as a great defensive force has helped this team a great deal. It\u2019s hard to think of another team with as much overall team depth as the 76ers. Eleven players average at least a quarter of playing time each game.<\/p>\n Both defenses are good, and this should be a game where the offenses struggle to find a flow.<\/p>\n I like the way Dallas is playing like right now, so I think the value is with the underdog.<\/p>\n
\n8:00 PM EST on ESPN
\nNBA Gambling Odds from BetOnline
\nNBA Betting Favorite: 76ers -4
\nOver\/Under: 181.5<\/strong><\/p>\n