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**StarDust Bum** · 12-09-2010, 06:56 PM

Georgetown goes for 9-0 start at Temple

GEORGETOWN HOYAS (8-0)

at TEMPLE OWLS (5-2)

Tip-off: Thursday, 9:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Georgetown -1.5, Total: 126.5

A difficult non-conference schedule continues for Georgetown, which visits the king of difficult schedules -- Temple -- on Thursday night in hopes of a 9-0 start to the season.

For the second straight year, the Hoyas begin 8-0, and the victories haven't come against weak competition, either. Georgetown's first eight opponents were a combined 174-98 (64%) last season, which is usually not the case for a Georgetown school that historically has loaded up with the biggest cupcake schedules in the land. Temple always plays a brutal non-conference schedule and the Owls almost pulled off a victory at Georgetown last season, losing by one point, 46-45.

The Hoyas beat Utah State last Saturday, 68-51. Georgetown had been making more than 11 three-pointers per game, but only shot only 2-for-9 from long range against the Aggies. It still managed to hit 52% of its shots for the game, despite the struggles from behind the arc.

The Hoyas are a remarkable shooting team, and that's played a major role in their success. In their Nov. 30 game at Missouri, a 111-102 overtime victory, they connected on 57% of their shots. As a team, Georgetown is shooting an impressive 51.0% from the field (8th-best in nation), including 43.8% on three-pointers (4th-best in country).

Austin Freeman leads the team in scoring at 20.1 PPG, and is hitting 57% of his field goals and 54% on three-pointers. He was held to just nine points against Utah State, but in the previous two games he scored 31 at Missouri and 32 against UNC-Asheville. Chris Wright averages 14.8 PPG, 6.8 APG, 3.0 RPG and 2.1 SPG. He led Georgetown with 21 points and four steals against Utah State.

Temple is coming off a 64-61 win over Maryland at the BB&T Classic in Washington D.C on Sunday. The Owls will need the kind of opportunistic plays they had versus the Terrapins against Georgetown. Temple set the tone with 12 steals against Maryland, including nine before halftime. The Owls' two losses this year were by a combined 10 points (against Cal, 57-50, at Texas A&M 54-51).

Ramone Moore (12.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG) finished with 16 points and Juan Fernandez (11.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG and 2.7 APG) added 14 as the Owls held off a late charge by the Terps.

In last season's meeting with the Hoyas, Temple forced 16 turnovers, allowed only 15 made baskets and held Georgetown to 36% shooting, including 3-of-18 from three-point range. Wright scored 15 for Georgetown in that contest, while Lavoy Allen (10.6 PPG, 6.9 RPG) had 12 points and 14 rebounds for Temple.

The Owls are 3-1 versus Georgetown since 1998, but only 6-20 in their past 26 games against ranked teams. Expect the Owls to continue their success against the Hoyas and reverse their luck against ranked teams by claiming a close, low-scoring victory.

This FoxSheets trend likes Temple to hand Georgetown its first loss of the season:

GEORGETOWN is 6-21 ATS (22.2%, -17.1 Units) after 1 or more consecutive unders over the last 3 seasons. The average score was GEORGETOWN 69.8, OPPONENT 69.4 - (Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 12-09-2010, 06:58 PM

Florida favored by 13.5 over Kent State

KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES (8-2)

at FLORIDA GATORS (6-2)

Tip-off: Thursday, 7:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Florida -13.5, Total: 135.5

A big matchup with Kansas State is looming on Dec. 18, but first things first. Florida tries to win its second straight when it hosts the other KSU -- Kent State -- on Thursday night.

The Gators beat American 67-48 last Sunday in the opening game of the BB&T Classic. That victory helped erase some of the sting from their first-ever loss to Central Florida (10 meetings), 57-54, on Dec. 1.

Kenny Boynton (12.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.4 APG) didn't score against American, missing all nine of his shots -- including six three-pointers -- but finished with seven assists and no turnovers. He had hit double figures in scoring in all seven of the previous games.

Erving Walker leads the Gators in scoring with 13.3 PPG to go along with 3.5 RPG and 3.3 APG. He added 16 points against the Eagles. Meanwhile, Chandler Parsons broke out of a shooting slump with 13 points (5-7 FG) and eight rebounds. In his previous three games, he had 15 points total and shot 6-of-23 from the field.

Vernon Macklin averages 9.9 PPG and 5.6 RPG. After three straight games of scoring insingle digits, he had 20 points versus Central Florida and 12 against American.

The Gators other loss was a 93-75 home defeat to Ohio State on Nov. 16. Despite Florida’s 6-2 SU record, it is a dismal 1-5 ATS.Kent State had its five-game winning streak snapped on Sunday at UAB, 75-59. The Golden Flashes shot just 9-of-28 from the field in the first half, and trailed at halftime, 38-25.

Rodriquez Sherman (10.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 53% -- 8-of-15 -- on three-pointers) led Kent State with 15 points. Justin Greene is the Golden Flashes' leading scorer and rebounder with 18.6 PPG and 7.1 RPG. The next closest scorer is Carlton Guyton, who is averaging six points less with 12.6 PPG.

In addition to its loss at UAB, Kent State also dropped a 69-66 decision at Cleveland State on Nov. 14. Expect the Gators to handle the Golden Flashes at home on Thursday.

This FoxSheets negative KSU trends make Florida the play to win and cover:

KENT ST is 4-17 ATS (-14.7 Units) after 3 consecutive non-conference games over the last 3 seasons. The average score was KENT ST 69.1, OPPONENT 66.9 - (Rating = 3*).

Geno Ford is 1-10 ATS (-10.0 Units) versus good shooting teams - making >=45% of their shots as the coach of KENT ST. The average score was KENT ST 69.2, OPPONENT 76.2 - (Rating = 3*).

This FoxSheets five-star special likes the Over in this game.

Geno Ford is 13-1 OVER (+11.9 Units) versus good rebounding teams - outrebounding opponents by 4+ per game as the coach of KENT ST. The average score was KENT ST 70.4, OPPONENT 71.8 - (Rating = 5*).

**StarDust Bum** · 12-09-2010, 06:59 PM

Magic should have full roster back at Portland

ORLANDO MAGIC (15-6)

at PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (10-11)

Tip-off: Thursday, 10:30 p.m. EDT
Line: Orlando -2.5, Total: 186

The Magic try to avoid losing three in a row when they begin a four-game Western Conference road trip in Portland Thursday night. Prior to the two-game losing skid (SU and ATS), Orlando had won 10-of-11 games, losing only to the Spurs, 106-97, in San Antonio. The Magic were without Jameer Nelson, J.J. Redick, and Dwight Howard (all had a stomach virus) in the loss against Milwaukee Saturday. Howard and Redick returned to play against Atlanta, but Nelson did not play in the 80-74 loss to the Hawks Monday.

Orlando struggled offensively against the Joe Johnson-less Hawks (elbow injury), shooting a lowly 37.8 FG Pct. (28-74) and only draining 4-of-22 from three-point range. Vince Carter led Orlando with 18 points, and Howard added 14 points and 13 rebounds. The Magic have averaged 79.5 points in the past two contests, a huge drop from the 102.7 PPG average in the six wins prior. Look for scoring to increase as Howard and Nelson return to health. The Magic are 6-3 SU in away games, but only 2-7 ATS outside of Orlando.

On the flip side, Portland is hoping a two-game win streak (SU and ATS) can provide a much-needed boost after losing six in a row. This game marks the Blazers’ third consecutive at home, where they are 6-3 (SU and ATS). Portland made 32-of-33 free throws to win 106-99 over Phoenix Tuesday night, despite allowing the Suns to shoot 50.7% from the floor and 50.0% on three-pointers. Wesley Matthews started in place of point guard Andre Miller (one-game suspension for excessive contact against the Clippers’ Blake Griffin) and scored 24 points, while LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy added 20 points apiece. Thursday’s game will likely be a low-scoring one, as Orlando leads the league in fewest points allowed (90.8) and Portland ranks seventh (95.6).

The Magic have won three of the last four matchups SU in Portland (2-2 ATS), and these FoxSheets stats show Orlando is the pick to win and cover the small spread:

ORLANDO is 22-7 ATS (75.9%, +14.3 Units) after failing to cover 2 of their last 3 against the spread over the last 2 seasons. The average score was ORLANDO 101.7, OPPONENT 91.3 - (Rating = 2*).

PORTLAND is 9-20 ATS (31.0%, -13.0 Units) off a home win over the last 2 seasons. The average score was PORTLAND 97.3, OPPONENT 100.1 - (Rating = 1*).

**StarDust Bum** · 12-09-2010, 06:59 PM

Mavs look for 11th straight win on Thursday

NEW JERSEY NETS (6-16)

at DALLAS MAVERICKS (17-4)

Tip-off: Thursday, 8:30 p.m. EDT
Line: Dallas -10.5, Total: 187.5

After losing in Atlanta 116-101 on Tuesday night to extend their road losing streak to eight games, the Nets head to 17-4 Dallas on Thursday night. New Jersey has only won two of the past 12 games SU (5-7 ATS), and both wins were at home. Brook Lopez led with 24 points and Devin Harris dished 13 assists, but defense had no answers for the Hawks as they shot 60.3 FG Pct. Head coach Avery Johnson returns to Dallas, where he led the Mavs to the NBA Finals in 2006 and lost to Miami, with a Nets team that has lost 10 in a row in the Big D since March 2000. New Jersey is only 2-10 SU on the road, but has managed to break even ATS, going 6-6.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks are enjoying a six-game homestead and a 10-game winning streak (7-3 ATS). Dallas won a close contest over Golden State, 105-100, Tuesday night, with Tyson Chandler on the bench (stomach bug), but failed to cover the spread for the second time in a row. Dirk Nowitzki had another 25-point night, and has shot 50 percent or better in 10 of the past 13 games -- scoring at least 20 points in 12 of those 13 games. He is shooting a career-high 55.3 percent on the season. Three of the four Mavericks’ losses have been in the American Airlines Center, where they have struggled to cover games at 4-6-2 ATS.

The Mavericks won the last four contests at home against the Nets by an average of 14.3 points. Despite being 18-9 (SU and ATS) against New Jersey since 1996, Dallas has struggled to cover the numbers at home this year. These FoxSheets stats like New Jersey to cover the spread:

DALLAS is 3-18 ATS (-16.8 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a losing record over the last 2 seasons. The average score was DALLAS 101.2, OPPONENT 98.0 - (Rating = 4*).

DALLAS is 6-20 ATS (-16.0 Units) in home games after a game where they failed to cover the spread over the last 2 seasons. The average score was DALLAS 102.7, OPPONENT 99.4 - (Rating = 2*).

Four of the past five meetings went Over the total, and this FoxSheets stat also likes the Over:

Play Over - Any team (DALLAS) - after 8 or more consecutive wins, a top-level team (>=75%) playing a team with a losing record. (72-33 since 1996.) (68.6%, +35.7 units. Rating = 3*).

**StarDust Bum** · 12-09-2010, 07:00 PM

Celtics seek 9th straight win Thursday in Philly
By: Kelly Maguire - *******
Published: 12/9/2010 at 11:38:00 AM
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BOSTON CELTICS (17-4)

at PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (7-14)

Tip-off: Thursday, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Line: Boston -5 Total: 193

The defending Eastern Conference champions travel to Philadelphia on Thursday to take on their Atlantic Division rival 76ers.

The Celtics enter winners of eight straight, with five of those wins coming by double-digits. They covered the spread in the past three games, to improve to 12-8 ATS this year, including an amazing 8-2 ATS on the road. Boston leads the NBA in FG Pct., shooting 51.1 percent on the season. Much of that success should go to Rajon Rondo, who is averaging 13.6 APG over his past five games of which the Celtics have shot a combined 53.9 percent.

The 76ers have struggled overall this season at 7-14, but have been excellent ATS, going 13-7-1. They have really struggled against Boston recently having lost six straight against the Celtics at home and 10-of-12 overall. Andre Iguodala is a big reason the 76ers are struggling so much. Iguodala is averaging just 13.7 PPG, which is 3.4 fewer than last season (17.1), while shooting a career-low 43.2 percent from the floor.

The Celtics are 20-8 ATS in Philadelphia since 1996. In winning their past six at Philadelphia, the Celtics have won by an average of 11 points. I’m taking Boston against the five points.

FoxSheets says:

Play On - Road favorites (BOSTON) - after 2 straight wins by 10 points or more against opponent after a combined score of 205 points or more. (62-30 over the last 5 seasons.) (67.4%, +29 units. Rating = 2*).

**StarDust Bum** · 12-09-2010, 07:08 PM

Georgetown at Temple on NCAA betting slate

A couple of teams that have been beating the odds to start the 2010-11 college basketball season square off in Philadelphia on Thursday when the Temple Owls host the Georgetown Hoyas. ESPN2 will broadcast the contest from Temple's Liacouras Center starting at 6 p.m. PT.

The interconference rivalry dates back over 80 years. Last year's contest from DC's Verizon Center likely ranks as the ugliest display of basketball in the 35 previous matchups.

One excuse for the poor performances by both squads was it came very early on the slate (Nov. 17, 2009) with both squads playing just their second games of the '09-'10 campaign. Georgetown closed as a 10-point favorite on its home court and needed a late bucket to hold off Temple, 46-45. The Hoyas took a 19-13 lead into the locker room half and built a 12-point lead in the second half before the Owls mounted their rally.

Temple and Georgetown combined to hit just 33 field goals, and sinking only six of their 41 shots from long range, while turning the ball over 26 times. The Owls' 6-for-13 performance from the charity stripe cost them a chance for a fourth consecutive win over the Hoyas.

Thursday will find Temple trying to improve on a 21-14 all-time series lead.

The Owls began the year ranked in the top 25 before a pair of losses in the Old Spice Classic during the Thanksgiving holiday pushed them outside the two polls. Temple dropped a 57-50 decision to Cal as 4½-point chalk on Turkey Day, then fell 54-51 to Texas A&M three days later as a one-point underdog.

Those are the only two losses the Owls have suffered on the court and at the window with Fran Dunphy's squad 5-2 straight up and against the spread.

Temple cashed this past Sunday as a 5½-point 'dog, grabbing the straight-up upset over Maryland, 64-61. The Owls nearly blew a 15-point advantage in the BB&T Classic at Verizon Center that had a partisan Terps crowd in attendance. Ramone Moore led four Owls in double-figures with 16 points, scoring half his points at the charity stripe.

Free throws have been a bit of a problem for the Owls who rank near the bottom of the country scoring just 9.7 points per game from the line, connecting 63 percent of the time. Hitting three-point shots is also a shortcoming with Temple next-to-last on the NCAA charts at 23.4 percent.

The Owls will need to post better marks in both columns or Georgetown is very likely to run the Owls off their own floor. The Big East power is sinking 51 percent from the field, ninth best in the nation, and popping 44 percent of their three pointers. Georgetown is also among the better squads at the line with a 71.6 percent mark there.

The Hoyas enter this battle a perfect 8-0, ranked nine by the AP and a stellar 6-1 against the spread to begin their schedule.

John Thompson III's troops have also proven they can beat a good team on the road after taking down Missouri in Kansas City last week, 111-102, an overtime contest that closed as a pick at the sports books. The Hoyas stormed out of the gate to build an 18-point lead in the first half before the Tigers battled back. Missouri held a 94-91 lead with 15 ticks left, but Georgetown's Chris Wright nailed a three just before the buzzer to force extra play.

Jason Clark hit a trio of three's in overtime to give the Hoyas the hard-fought triumph.

Georgetown followed that up with a 68-51 win at home this past Saturday over Utah State. The Hoyas were favored by 10½ to notch their fifth-straight cover. Wright led all players with 21 points, the only player to score at least 10 in the game.

The Hoyas head back home after this one for a Sunday matchup with Appalachian State, so there shouldn't be much danger in them looking past the Owls. Temple will be hosting Akron that same day.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-09-2010, 07:09 PM

Senators host Rangers in NHL betting rematch

The offensively challenged Ottawa Senators hope to break out of a miserable goal drought Thursday when they host the New York Rangers in an Eastern Conference matchup. The Sens have scored one goal or less in six of their last eight outings.

Ottawa continued its difficulty scoring goals during Tuesday’s 4-1 loss at Montreal as a 135 road underdog. The loss lowered the Sens’ record to 12-15-1-1 and dropped their goal differential to minus-23.

The Senators entered Tuesday’s battle having seen the ‘under’ cash in eight straight games, with the ‘total’ being set at 5 ½ goals on each occasion.

However, NHL oddsmakers finally lowered the ‘total’ to five goals in Tuesday’s game, which resulted in a ‘push.’ Nevertheless, the ‘under’ is 17-11-1 in Ottawa’s first 29 encounters and 11-4 in its first 15 home dates.

Though Ottawa’s anemic power play unit finally scored in its lone chance with the man advantage in the loss at Montreal, the squad is just 3-for-21 in its last 10 games. The pitiful power play is one of the main reasons the Sens rank 28th offensively with a 2.1 GPG average.

Defensively, the Senators rank 22nd by allowing 2.9 goals per game. They are also a poor 24th on the penalty kill with an 80.2 percent success rate.

Backup Ottawa netminder Pascal Leclaire stopped 30-of-33 shots before leaving as a result of lower body injury with just over two minutes remaining in the Montreal loss. Leclaire, who saw his record slip to 2-7-1, is listed as “day-to-day.”

No.1 goalie Brian Elliot is 10-8-0-1 with a 2.81 GAA, a .913 save percentage and three shutouts.

The Rangers have not played since Sunday when they dropped a 3-1 decision to these same Senators as 160 home favorites. The loss lowered the Rangers’ ledger to 13-29-2 in the last 44 series meetings against the Senators.

The combined four goals slipped below the 5 ½-goal closing total, leaving the ‘under’ 19-6-2 in the last 27 series meetings between the Rangers and Senators.

The Rangers lost despite out-shooting the Senators, 26-25. Neither team was able to score on the power play, with the New Yorkers going 0-for-4 and Ottawa going 0-for-1.

Leclaire was in goal for Ottawa and stopped 25-of-26 shots to register the victory. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 23-of-25 shots in a losing effort to see his record fall to 11-10-1-0. Lundqvist has a 2.52 goals-against average, a .918 save percentage and four shutouts.

Chris Kelly notched the three-goal hat trick to account for all of Ottawa’s offense, including a shorthanded marker to open the scoring in the first period. Brandon Prust was responsible for the Rangers’ lone goal.

The Rangers are one of the league’s rare teams with a better record on the road (10-4-0-0) than at home (6-8-1-0). Despite taking an average of just 27 shots on goal (ranked 28th), the Rangers are 14th offensively with a 2.8 GPG average. They rank 11th defensively, allowing 2.7 goals per game.

New York is still without a couple of forwards in Vaclav Prospal (knee) and Chris Drury (finger). The centers aren’t scheduled to return until the middle of this month.

The Rangers will stay on the road for a Saturday game at Columbus to play the Blue Jackets. The Senators will play the second half of a back-to-back situation with a Friday home game against the New Jersey Devils.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-09-2010, 07:10 PM

NBA Betting: Orlando Magic at Trail Blazers

East meets West as the Orlando Magic take on the Portland Trail Blazers this Thursday night in the first of two meetings this season. Tip-off from the Rose Garden in Portland is set for 7:30 p.m. (PT) and the matchup will be broadcast nationally on TNT.

Orlando has led the Southeast Division standings through the six weeks of the NBA regular season, but suddenly a new premium has been put on winning with the Miami Heat starting to finally play up to their talent level. Heading into this game, the Magic have won seven out of their last 10 and have an overall record of 15-6 straight-up but are just 8-13 against the NBA spread.

They lead Atlanta by a game and Miami by a game and half in the division and are in second place in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando was hit by the flu bug last week that sidelined four of their players including Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson. The Magic managed to get by Detroit on Friday night 104-91 as four-point road favorites, but the depleted lineup took its toll in a 96-85 loss as a 4 ½-point road underdog the following night against Milwaukee. The total went ‘over’ the 184 ½-point line against the Pistons but stayed ‘under’ 183 ½ against the Bucks.

Howard returned to the lineup for Monday night’s game against the Hawks, but it was not enough to keep the Magic from dropping their second straight game in a 80-74 loss as a 6 ½-point home favorite. The total stayed well ‘under’ the 186 ½-point line as this game was a defensive battle from the start. The Magic shot a dismal 37.8 percent from the floor compared to their 46.9 percent season average. A visibly weak Howard did have 14 points and 13 rebounds but below his 20.9 points per game season average.

Portland took a step closer to getting back to .500 for the year with wins in its last two games after losing six straight before that. The Trail Blazers are currently 10-11 SU (10-9-2 ATS) on the year, 5.5 games in back of Utah in the Northwest Division and ninth in the Western Conference.

Portland came into the game against the Los Angeles Clippers this past Sunday as a 6 ½-point home favorite and was able to post a nine-point win to cover. The Trail Blazers opened up a 22-point lead at the half on the Clippers and held on for the 100-91 victory.

They were a 2 ½-point home favorite against Phoenix on Tuesday and relied on a 37-point fourth quarter to knock off the Suns 106-99. Andre Miller was out of the lineup serving a one-game suspension, but Wesley Matthew’s team-high 24 points helped fill the void.

Brandon Roy is the team’s leading scorer with 18.2 points per game and Marcus Camby is averaging 10.5 rebounds per game. The Trail Blazers are averaging just 95.19 points per game and their 43.2 field goal percentage rank them near the bottom of the league. Defensively, they have been much better, holding their opponents to 95.6 points per game.

Orlando is 2-4 ATS in its last six games overall and 2-4 ATS in its last six games on the road. The total has stayed ‘under’ in four of its last five games.

Portland is 3-1 ATS in its last four games overall and 3-2 ATS in its last five home games. The total is 3-2-1 in its last six games overall.

Head-to-head, the Magic have won two out of the last three games both SU and ATS including a 92-83 win as an 8 ½-point road favorite the last time they played in Portland. The total has stayed ‘under’ in the last two meetings.

Orlando should be back to full strength for this game but traveling cross-country and playing in a very difficult place to win a game will takes its toll. Stick with the Trail Blazers to make it three in a row.

**StarDust Bum** · 12-09-2010, 07:13 PM

Nets next in line for hot Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks have won 10 straight games, with a 7-3 NBA spread record in that stretch. Rick Carlisle’s crew plays its second straight home game as part of Thursday’s league slate against the New Jersey Nets, who are 1-4 ATS in their last five contests.

Dallas’ latest triumph came in Tuesday’s 105-100 victory as an 8 ½-point home favorite against the Golden State Warriors. The Mavs led by as many as eight points, while being outscored in the paint, 46-34.

Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki put up a team-high 25 points. The 32-year-old hit 10-of-18 from the field, while adding four blocks.

Dallas’ Ian Mahinmi logged 12 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, notching his first double-double of the season. The center played for a season-high 21 minutes due to starting big man Tyson Chandler missing the contest due to a stomach illness.

Chandler (9.3 RPG) is presently listed as “questionable” to play against the Nets, according to the DonBest.com injury report.

The tight battle’s combined 205 points jumped above the closing ‘total’ of 204 ½ by a ‘hook.’ Both clubs united to drain 17-of-40 from beyond the arc.

Dallas dropped to 4-6-2 ATS in its first 12 home dates, with the ‘under’ moving to 8-4. Nowitzki and Co. have allowed a stingy 91.3 PPG in that stretch.

New Jersey began its two-game road trip with Tuesday’s 116-101 defeat as a 6 ½-point road dog against the Atlanta Hawks. The Nets outscored Atlanta on fast breaks, 23-10, while being outrebounded, 39-34.

Nets center Brook Lopez notched a team-high 24 points. The Stanford alum hit 8-of-16 field buckets, while sinking 8-of-11 at the foul line.

New Jersey’s Devin Harris logged a season-high 13 assists en route to finishing with 18 points. The eight-year guard logged his first double-double in 18 games, while adding a team-high three steals.

The shootout’s combined 217 points soared above the ‘total’ of 185 ½. New Jersey allowed Atlanta to hit a sizable 60.3 percent of its shots from the field.

The Nets plunged to 6-6 ATS in their first 12 road games, while improving the ‘over’ to 5-6-1. Harris and Co. have scored a lowly 92.5 PPG in that span.

Dallas is 3-2 ATS in its last five meetings against New Jersey, with the ‘over’ cashing at 4-1.

The Mavericks won last March’s duel between the foes, 96-87, failing to cover ATS as an 11-point home favorite. Nowitzki struggled for Dallas, hitting only 3-of-16 from the field in 40 minutes of play. Harris finished with team-highs of 21 points and seven assists for the Nets.

Thursday’s tip is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (PT), with the game available for viewing on NBA League Pass.

Dallas will be idle for one day, remaining at home to host the Utah Jazz as part of Saturday’s league schedule. New Jersey will have two days off, returning home for Sunday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers.

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