|
The New Orleans Hornets looked unstoppable in the first two games of their first-round series in the NBA playoffs, but they will face a hostile reception when they head to American Airlines Center to face the Dallas Mavericks for Game 3 on Friday. BetOnline.com has the Dallas Mavericks -5 point favorites against the New Orleans Hornets with the over/under set at 196 points.
Chris Paul showed no signs of nerves in his first playoff experience, as he sliced and diced through the Mavericks for 33.5 points, 13.5 assists and 3.5 steals in Games 1 & 2. The third-year point guard from Wake Forest made Jason Kidd look his age in those games, and that is something that most experienced point guards in the league fail to do. No matter what type of defense the Mavericks threw at him, Paul would adjust quickly and accordingly as the Hornets put up 115.5 points per game. David West won his match-up with Dirk Nowitzki as well, dropping 25.0 points while perhaps intimidating the former MVP winner with rough, but clean, play.
 Nowitzki did manage to scored 29.0 points per game, but he was never aggressive enough, which has been the knock on him throughout his career. Nowitzki does not seem to have the desire to put his team on his back and carry them through the tough times. But at home, Nowitzki is usually a much better player in terms of field goal percentage, if not necessarily in points. The Mavericks also need Kidd to play better, since this is the time of year Dallas acquired him for. More production out of Josh Howard, whose scoring average of 13.5 points is more than six points lower than his regular-season average.
The Mavericks are 5-point favorites at home in this crucial clash, and this boils down to a must-win game for Dallas because it would be next to impossible to come back from a 3-0 deficit. The Mavericks were the third-best team at home in the West, but in New Orleans, they are facing the second-best team on the road in their conference. For Dallas, they are going to have to find a way to stop Paul, because as he goes, so go the Hornets. Paul is fearless at this moment, so expect the Hornets to take the Mavericks' heart with a close victory on Friday. Get your Free NBA Playoffs Pick in Now!
New Orleans at Dallas Mavericks – 8:00 PM ET
Free NBA Playoffs Pick:
For more props and odds on NBA basketball as we progress through the postseason, as well as a look at our brand-new and revamped Casino, visit BetOnline.com for the most exciting experience in the sports betting industry.
|
