No Yao, no Artest, no McGrady. No problem so far for the Houston Rockets who have managed to win four of their first six games thanks to the contributions of Trevor Ariza, Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry. Those four wins have them tied atop the NBA's Southwest Division with the Mavericks, a tie that will be broken after Tuesday night when the two Texas teams tangle at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
First place in the Southwest Division will be up for grabs Tuesday night when the Houston Rockets travel to Dallas to play the Mavs for the first time this season. Both clubs advanced to last year’s postseason by securing more than 50 wins and both are 4-2 this year.
Houston (4-2 SU, 5-1 ATS) continued its winning ways Friday by upending Oklahoma City as a 6 ½-point home ‘chalk,’ 105-94. The combined 199 points eclipsed the 189-point closing total, helping the ‘over’ cash in Houston’s fifth consecutive contest.
The Rockets prevailed by shooting a blistering 54 percent (42-of-78) from the field and 38 percent (6-of-16) from behind the arc. Forward Trevor Ariza accounted for 21 points and six assists in the victory, while forward Carl Landry provided 21 and nine rebounds off the bench.
Houston sports a 2-1 road record both SU and ATS, with the ‘over’ also going 2-1. The Rockets have been winning their road endeavors by an average score of 103-100. Houston follows this contest with a home game against Memphis before returning to the road against Sacramento and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Dallas (4-2 both SU and ATS) throttled Toronto in its latest effort Saturday night as a 7 ½-point home favorite, 129-101. The combined 230 points soared past the 202 ½-point closing total, enabling the ‘over’ to cash the second game in a row.
The Mavericks cruised to victory by outscoring the Raptors in the paint, 56-38, while shooting a robust 62 percent (53-of-85) from the field. Forward Dirk Nowitzki stepped up with 29 points and nine rebounds, while guard Jason Terry provided 19 and four assists off the bench.
Dallas maintains a 2-1 SU and ATS home ledger, with the ‘under’ going 2-1. The Mavericks have won their home endeavors by an average score of 105-96. Dallas embarks on a four-game road trip after this contest, traveling to San Antonio, Minnesota, Detroit and Milwaukee.
Dallas has gone 2-1 both SU and ATS the previous three meetings with Houston, but this is the first encounter this season. The ‘under’ prevailed in all three contests last year, with the lowest total listed at 189 ½.
Dallas forward Drew Gooden (ribs) is questionable against the Rockets, while forward Tim Thomas (knee) is doubtful.
DonBest.com opened Dallas as a six-point home favorite, with the total set at 199 points.
