NBA Betting News and Notes Saturday 4/28

What Bettors Need to Know: Saturday's NBA Playoff Action
By Covers.com

New York Knicks at Miami Heat (-8.5, 186.5)

THE STORY: The Miami Heat’s Big Three have not seen the floor in a game together in nearly two weeks. With the Heat cruising toward the No. 2 seed in the East, the team opted for rest over consistency. The seventh-seeded New York Knicks, on the other hand, are just beginning to come together. Carmelo Anthony closed the regular season on a tear and Amar'e Stoudemire has spent the past week working himself back into shape.

ABOUT THE KNICKS (36-30): New York lost all three regular season meetings with the Heat by an average of 10.7 points, but still has plenty of confidence entering this series due to the way it has played down the stretch. The Knicks have a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in Tyson Chandler in the middle and a stopper on the perimeter in Iman Shumpert, which has helped transform the team on that end of the floor. Anthony asserted himself in April after Jeremy Lin and Stoudemire went down, averaging 29.8 points in the month. Stoudemire is back as a second scoring option, having played at least 24 minutes in each of the final four games and stayed healthy. The Knicks also have a huge edge off the bench with Steve Novak and J.R. Smith.

ABOUT THE HEAT (46-20): Miami’s hopes rest on LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Just like last season, the supporting cast leaves something to be desired. Coach Eric Spoelstra moved Udonis Haslem into the starting lineup late in the season, giving the team some toughness up front to help deal with Chandler. Bosh missed the final six games of the regular season to rest a minor hamstring issue and both Wade and James took time off to rest minor injuries. All three were on the floor on Apr. 15, when Miami went into Madison Square Garden and took down the Knicks, 93-85. James led the way with 29 points and 10 rebounds while Wade added 28 and nine.

TRENDS:
-The under is 21-5 in Miami's last 26 home games.
- New York has covered in 19 of its last 26.
- Miami has covered in five of its last seven games when favored.

Philadelphia 76ers at Chicago Bulls (-9, 175.5)

THE STORY: Despite owning the best record in the NBA, the Chicago Bulls are not without questions. The starting five has played very few games together due to injury and the most important player, reigning MVP Derrick Rose, has not had much time to get into playing shape. The eighth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers were limping their way to the finish line before picking it up right at the end. The Bulls took two of three in the regular season.

ABOUT THE 76ERS (35-31): There was a time in the middle of the season where it looked like Philadelphia would run away with the Atlantic Division. It did not turn out that way, as the 76ers were under .500 in February and March and then began April by dropping seven of nine. Philadelphia had to scramble to clinch the final playoff spot but eventually broke through and found some offense, reaching the 100-point plateau three times during a four-game winning streak from Apr. 18-25. The 76ers play a similar style to the Bulls, preferring to slow the tempo and win with defense. Their best defensive stopper, Andre Iguodala, sat out the final two games of the regular season with a bruised Achilles but should be ready for Saturday.

ABOUT THE BULLS (50-16): Chicago clinched the best record in the NBA and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs with a 107-75 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the regular-season finale. Derrick Rose sat that game out, pushing his total of games missed this season to 27. Richard Hamilton missed 38 games and Luol Deng missed 12 games, leaving the Bulls less time than most teams with their intended starting lineup. Chicago was still able to roll through the league on the strength of its defense, which surrendered an NBA-low 88.2 points, and the front court duo of Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer, which helped the team lead the league in rebounding.

TRENDS:
- Philadelphia has covered in four of its last five.
- The over is 12-4-1 in the last 17 meetings between the two teams.
- The under has cashed in each of Chicago's last six.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Rose, who only played in five of the final 10 games, matched a season high with 35 points in a win at Philadelphia on Mar. 4.

2. The 76ers finished 16-17 on the road, while the Bulls went 26-7 at home.

3. Philadelphia G Lou Williams became the first player ever to lead his team in scoring (14.9 points) without starting a game.

Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder (-7.5, 193)

THE STORY: The Dallas Mavericks begin their quest for a second consecutive NBA title against one of their key conquests from their first title. Dallas opens its championship defense Saturday night against an Oklahoma City Thunder team that bowed out in five games in last year's Western Conference finals. The Thunder bounced back nicely during the shortened 2011-12 campaign, posting the second-best record in the West thanks to spectacular seasons from Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (36-30): It wasn't an easy regular season for the defending champs, who lost center Tyson Chandler to the New York Knicks and weren't able to replace his defensive intensity in the paint. Making matters worse was a drawn-out fiasco with forward Lamar Odom that eventually led to he and the team parting ways. The Mavericks worked through the distraction and qualify for the postseason, but a better showing on the road will be imperative to the team's title chances. Dallas went just 13-20 away from American Airlines Center, the second-worst road mark of any team to reach the playoffs.

ABOUT THE THUNDER (47-19): Durant won his third consecutive scoring title, becoming the first player since Michael Jordan (2006-08) to accomplish the feat. He had plenty of help on the scoresheet, with Westbrook (23.8 ppg) and sixth man James Harden (16.8) fueling the league's third-ranked offense. Getting past the Mavericks will require the Thunder to avoid the fourth-quarter meltdowns that plagued them in their final two losses of the Western Conference final. Dallas rallied from 15 points down to win Game 4, then wiped out a seven-point deficit in the final six minutes of Game 5.

TRENDS:
- The underdog is 17-4-1 against the spread in the last 22 meetings between the two teams.
- Dallas is 2-5 ATS in its last seven.
- Oklahoma City is 3-13-1 ATS in its last 17 home games against Dallas.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Oklahoma City won three of four regular-season meetings between the teams.

2. Durant averaged 25.5 points and 8.3 rebounds against the Mavericks this season.

3. Dallas went 32-34 against the spread in the regular season, while Oklahoma City was 35-31.

Orlando Magic at Indiana Pacers (-9, 191.5)

THE STORY: The Indiana Pacers find themselves in the role of favorites as they open the Eastern Conference playoffs against the visiting Orlando Magic on Saturday. Third-seeded Indiana finished the season strong while sixth-seeded Orlando struggled down the stretch, particularly after losing star center Dwight Howard to season-ending back surgery. The Pacers are 12-3 in April and have multiple weapons to make up for a lack of star power. The Magic lost four of their final five regular-season outings.

ABOUT THE MAGIC (37-29): Not having Howard is a huge blow as the Pacers had trouble handling him. Howard averaged 23.8 points and 10.8 rebounds while shooting 68.5 percent from the field. Glen Davis is expected to start at center in Game 1 after injuring an ankle on Wednesday. Orlando will likely rely on its 3-point shooting (the Magic led the NBA in most 3s made) to help compensate for the loss of its interior edge. Forward Ryan Anderson made a league-high 166 3-pointers and guard J.J. Redick (41.8 percent) is also capable of hitting them in bunches. Forward Hedo Turkoglu is back from facial fractures and had a team-high 18 points in Thursday’s regular-season finale against Memphis.

ABOUT THE PACERS (42-24): Balance is the key for Indiana, which has five players averaging in double figures and eight players averaging 8.9 points or better. Forward Danny Granger averages a team-leading 18.7 points and he has raised his level of play significantly down the stretch by scoring at a 21.6 clip in April. Center Roy Hibbert could be in line for a big series with Howard sidelined. Hibbert averaged just 10.8 points and 6.8 rebounds against Howard in the regular season. Forward David West also struggled against Orlando, averaging just 7.0 points and shooting 36.8 percent. Darren Collison and George Hill give Indiana two solid point guard options with Hill playing better heading into the postseason.

TRENDS:
- Orlando has covered in five of its last six meetings with Indiana.
- Indiana is 7-15 in its last 16 games when playing on two days' rest.
- The over is 4-1 in Indiana's last five.

BUZZER BEATERS:

1. Orlando won three of the four regular-season meetings.

2. The Magic is making their sixth consecutive playoff appearance; Indiana is in for the second straight season after a five-year drought.

3. Pacers guard Leandro Barbosa (ankle) is a game-time decision.

Bulls-76ers Outlook
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

No. 1 Chicago Bulls vs. No. 8 Philadelphia 76ers

Series Price: Chicago -550, Philadelphia +450

Series Format: Chicago, 2-2-1-1-1

Skinny: Chicago's defense dominated once again in Tom Thibodeau's system, finishing first in the league by allowing 88.2 points per game. The Bulls battle the 76ers in the postseason for the first time since 1991, when Chicago captured its first championship in franchise history. Philadelphia is back in the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons, while looking to advance to the second round for the first time since 2003.

Reigning MVP Derrick Rose missed 27 games in this shortened season due to various injuries, including a 12-game stretch in March with a groin ailment. The Bulls thrived without Rose by posting an 18-9 SU and 15-12 ATS record, as Luol Deng (15.3 ppg) and Carlos Boozer (15.0 ppg) picked up the scoring slack. Chicago suffered several hiccups at home this season after dominating at the United Center last season (36-5), as the Bulls lost to the Nets, Wizards, Rockets, and Blazers this season.

The Sixers jumped out to a 20-9 start by Valentine's Day, including three wins against the Wizards, two victories over the Bobcats and Pistons, and easy triumphs over the Raptors, Kings, and Cavaliers. The schedule love soon faded with eight losses in the next 10 games, while stumbling to a 15-22 record the final 37 games of the season and the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Head-to-Head Matchups: In perhaps the most complete effort of the season, Philadelphia routed Chicago at the Wells Fargo Center, 98-82 on February 1. The Sixers easily cashed as one-point underdogs, as Doug Collins' team went on a 26-11 run in the third quarter to put away the Bulls. Philadelphia received balanced scoring as five players finished in double-figures, while Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young each put up 19 points.

The Bulls rebounded in their next trip to the City of Brotherly Love, rallying for a 96-91 win as 3 ½-point road favorites on March 4. Rose took over with a game-high 35 points, as Chicago outscored Philadelphia, 56-45 in the second half. Once again, the Sixers spread out the scoring with five players tallying at least 14 points, but the stingy Bulls' defense held Philadelphia to 1-of-11 shooting from three-point range.

The final meeting in Chicago turned into another comeback effort by the Bulls, who erased an early 14-point deficit to stun the Sixers, 89-80 on St. Patrick's Day. Philadelphia bettors felt pretty unlucky as four-point road 'dogs, as Rose sat out with a groin injury and the Sixers were outscored by 22 points in the last three quarters. The only bright spot for Philadelphia offensively was Jrue Holiday, who took advantage of Rose's absence as the former UCLA star scored a season-high 30 points.

Betting Notes: The Bulls barely profited at home this season with a 17-15-1 ATS record at the United Center, including a 6-5 ATS mark as a favorite between seven and nine points. The story was different on the highway as the Bulls put up a solid 18-10 ATS ledger as away 'chalk.' The role of a home underdog didn't suit Philadelphia very well, as the Sixers cashed in just one of five opportunities, with the lone victory coming over the Bulls in early February. The Sixers took care of business this season against sub-.500 competition, but went 4-10 SU and 6-8 ATS as road 'dogs.

Series Outlook: If there's one thing we learned about the Bulls last season, this team is not going to steamroll anybody in a best-of-seven series. Indiana gave Chicago fits in the first round, while Atlanta hung around in the semifinals. The Sixers didn't want to face the Heat in the opening round, as Philadelphia needs to avoid long droughts offensively if it has any chance to survive in this series. Philadelphia will likely steal a game at home, but Chicago will advance in five games.

Heat-Knicks Outlook
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com

No. 2 Miami Heat vs. No. 7 New York Knicks

Series Price: Miami -550, New York +450

Series Format: Miami, 2-2-1-1-1

Skinny: The Heat and Knicks are no strangers to playoff action, meeting for the fifth time in the postseason since 1997. However, Miami and New York are hooking up for the first time since 2000, when the Knicks knocked out the Heat in seven games. The cast of characters is completely different 12 years later, as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh look to defend their Eastern Conference title.

Miami finished the regular season at 46-20, while nailing down the second seed for the second consecutive campaign. The Heat never suffered a losing streak of more than three games, as Erik Spoelstra's team jumped out of the gate with an 8-1 start. The Knicks went through a roller-coaster ride this season that included the emergence of point guard Jeremy Lin and the resignation of head coach Mike D'Antoni.

After Mike Woodson took over on March 14, New York exploded for five straight victories. The Knicks wrapped up the final six weeks on an 18-6 SU/ATS run to claim the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference that included an 11-1 SU/ATS record at Madison Square Garden. The defense clamped down by limiting 18 opponents in this stretch to below 100 points, even though Amar'e Stoudemire missed 13 games with a back injury.

Head-to-Head Matchups: Miami swept the season series, 3-0, which included a pair of victories at the American Airlines Arena. The first win came on January 27 in South Florida, a 99-89 triumph, but the Knicks cashed as 12-point underdogs. In spite of Carmelo Anthony out of the lineup, New York chucked up 43 three-point attempts, knocking down 18 treys. James and Wade combined for 59 points, while overcoming a poor shooting night from Bosh (4-18 FG).

Less than a month later in the game prior to the All-Star break, the Heat knocked off the Knicks again in Miami, 102-88 as 10-point 'chalk.' The Miami defense held Lin to one field goal in 11 attempts, while the Knicks shot just 39% from the floor. The big three of James, Wade, and Bosh dominated again by scoring 67 points, guaranteeing a season series victory for the Heat.

Miami finished off the sweep at Madison Square Garden on "Tax Day," earlier this month, 93-85. The Heat cashed as three-point favorites, as Miami's defense limited New York to 41 points in the second half. Anthony pumped in a game-high 42 points, but James and Wade put up 57 points between them as the Heat out-rebounded the Knicks, 47-33.

Betting Notes: Thanks to one of the top defenses in the league, the Heat turned in a 23-10 mark to the 'under' at home, including eight of the final nine games of the season. Miami didn't perform well in the role of a road favorite by posting a 12-16 ATS mark as away 'chalk.' The Knicks struggled on the highway as underdogs with wins in just seven of 21 opportunities, while going 10-11 ATS. New York performed better when receiving points at MSG, putting together a 5-3 ATS mark as home 'dogs, including a 6-2 ledger to the 'over.'

Series Outlook: The Heat has heard the criticism since last summer after coming up short in the NBA Finals against the Mavericks. Miami rested its big trio down the stretch and is ready for another run at the Finals in June. The Knicks have improved drastically since D'Antoni's exit, but New York will likely come up short again after getting swept in the first round by Boston last season. Miami will advance to the conference semifinals in five games.

Pacers-Magic Outlook
By Antony Dinero
VegasInsider.com

No. 3 Indiana Pacers vs. No. 6 Orlando Magic

Series Price: Indiana -900, Orlando +600

Series Format: Indiana, 2-2-1-1-1

Skinny: At least we won't have to deal with constant camera shots of Dwight Howard sporting his Clark Kent look on the Orlando bench. The Magic's franchise center is in L.A. rehabilitating from his recent back surgery and isn't expected to be in attendance for any of these games.

Roy Hibbert won't miss him.

The Eastern Conference's other All-Star center had little success dealing with Howard, who seemingly always gets up for their meetings. After a soap opera-filled season prematurely ended with Howard severely aggravating an existing injury in Philadelphia on April 7, the Magic have adopted the slogan "we're all we got" and hope to rally around a supporting cast put together to complement the game's top big man. Privately, they do believe they can beat an Indiana team that hasn't won a playoff series since 2005 and has only played in one postseason with the bulk of its current core, losing to Chicago in five games last year.

It remains to be seen whether that confidence is misguided.

Bolstered by the acquisitions of David West and George Hill, Indiana has consistently been among the Eastern Conference's top teams all season but really took off in April. The Pacers opened the month with four consecutive wins and ended up rolling off 11 of 12 before putting it in cruise control with the No. 3 seed locked up.

The Magic haven't been able to gain much cohesion because so many key parts have been out of the lineup, starting with Howard's replacement, Glen Davis. Orlando is playing through him in the post, but has had to deal with him tweaking a knee and spraining an ankle over the last two weeks. He stepped on Byron Mullens' foot in the first quarter on Wednesday and will likely be a game-time decision when the series tips.

Hedo Turkoglu, back after having his face broken by an errant Carmelo Anthony elbow on April 5, will play with a newly-fitted mask. Ryan Anderson, Jason Richardson, Quentin Richardson, Jameer Nelson and J.J. Redick round out the remainder of Stan Van Gundy's likely core, though he's expected to utilize Earl Clark and Daniel Orton in situations that require size.

Can that be enough to make this series competitive? That likely hinges on how well Orlando shoots the ball, since it lacks defensive continuity with its chief rim protector gone. Van Gundy hates that the Magic have become a team forced to out-score opponents to register wins, but he'll have to be flexible in order to get results. The Magic may have to push the pace to keep Indiana from setting up its halfcourt defense, which comes equipped with a 7-foot-2 shotblocker and two terrific on-ball defenders in Hill and Paul George starting in the backcourt.

Head-to-Head Matchups: Orlando won three of four meetings with the Pacers, but considering all the games included Howard and only one occurred post-All-Star break, there's not a lot to read into it.

Howard shot 37-for-54 (68.5 pct) in the four games, completely taking apart Hibbert with his combination of speed and strength. Davis, who likely won't ever be 100 percent in the series, will be giving up roughly six inches. He shot 7-for-17 in three games against the Pacers, averaging just 7 points per game.

The Magic need him to step up his game the way he managed to this month, where the increased touches seemed to energize him. Anderson, who will be the focal point of the offense, drilled 11-of-20 3-pointers against the Pacers this season and was especially strong at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, shooting 6-for-9 from beyond the arc and averaging 18 points and 7.5 rebounds in two visits. J.J. Redick, coming off a career-high 31-point night on Wednesday, shot 7-for-15 from 3-point range against Indiana this season.

Hibbert shot 18-for-43 and averaged only 10.8 points and 6.5 rebounds, but he's had a streak of five consecutive double-doubles during this month's surge. Top scorer Danny Granger has averaged 19.2 points in the four games against the Magic, but has shot just 7-for-26 from 3-point range. West also struggled mightily when playing Orlando (7 ppg, 5 rpg), so there's no question that the Pacers are very confident they'll be able to reverse their fortunes with Howard missing.

Betting Notes: Ready for more numbers skewed by Howard's presence that no longer apply? The Magic have won nine of 10 SU against the Pacers, covering five of six. Three of the last four games have gone over. Despite being an excellent home team thanks to a great arena and vocal fan base, the Pacers went just 15-18 ATS. They were 23-10 SU.

Series Outlook: The Magic are forced to rely on their jump shot if they plan on extending their season, since they're not equipped to defend consistently. The Pacers have great size and athleticism and look like a clear favorite on paper, but don't put it past the Magic sneaking off with a couple of these games if they get some hot shooting. Rebounding and defense, Howard's staples, become Indiana's advantages.

Thunder-Mavs Outlook
By Chris David
VegasInsider.com

No. 2 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks

Series Price: Oklahoma City -525, Dallas +425

Series Format: Oklahoma City, 2-2-1-1-1

Skinny: Do you bet on experience or talent? If you answered experience in last year's postseason, then you rode the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals. Now can they repeat the feat in a shortened season with another year on the old legs?

The oddsmakers believe they'll be exiting early when they face Oklahoma City in the first round. The Thunder ran away with the Northwest Division this season and almost claimed the top spot in the Western Conference but the team tempered down the stretch. The Thunder are led by the two-headed monster of Kevin Durant (28 PPG) and Russell Westbrook (23.6 PPG), plus they have arguably the best sixth-man in James Harden (16.8 PPG), who was cleared to play after recovering from an elbow by the Lakers' Metta World Peace last week. If the aforementioned trio is on, it's hard to see anybody stopping the Thunder this postseason.

Defensively, the Thunder have two bruisers in center Kendrick Perkins and power forward Serge Ibaka, who seems to have a hand on every ball in the paint (3.7 blocks). If there is a weakness, it could be depth in the backcourt for OKC. Harden does spell Westbook at the point and they acquired veteran Derek Fisher but he's been a liability on defense.

Fortunately for Fisher, he won't have to deal with JJ Barea, who left Dallas for Minnesota in the offseason. The Mavs also won't have Tyson Chander in the middle either, since he departed as well (New York Knicks). Dallas still has Dirk Nowitzki (21.6 PPG), but can he carry this team again? Veterans Jason Kidd and Jason Terry still have the ability to show some sparks, as does Shawn Marion. The additions of Vince Carter and Delonte West bring more experience to the Mavericks.

If Dallas is looking to make another run, it will need somebody to step up outside of the above players. The Mavs have seen flashes from back-up point guard Rodrigue Beaubois (8.9 PPG) but he's still very inconsistent. Forward Brandan Wright is another player that has potential and his size and length will be needed to keep the Thunder out of the paint. Don't be surprised to see Beaubois get major minutes because he's the only player that can come close to keeping up with Westbrook.

Head-to-Head Matchups: These teams split two games in the first week of the season and Dallas easily could've won both if it wasn't for Durant's heroics in the opener. They met again in early February and in early March and Oklahoma City notched its second and third victories over the Mavs. The key to those games was the second-half and how Dallas failed to show up. The Mavs scored 34 and 39 points in each of the setbacks and still managed to lose each game by less than 10 points. What should be noted is that OKC only eclipsed the century mark once against Dallas, which came in the first encounter. And, the Thunder shot 58 percent from the field in that contest, plus they were 24-of-32 (75%) from the free-throw line.

Betting Notes: OKC opened as a 7½-point favorite for Game 1 and we would expect that number to go up for Game 2 with a victory or loss. Dallas hasn't been great on the road and it enters the playoffs with four straight losses as a visitor. OKC has a nice crowd at home, which has produced a solid record (23-7 SU, 17-16 ATS). However, gamblers should be aware that the Thunder closed the season with an 8-7 SU and 6-9 ATS mark in the final month. And more importantly, only one win came against a playoff team which was a shorthanded Chicago (92-78) squad at home. We're going to assume that the Thunder will be giving points on the road here barring any key injury or turn of events. With that being said, Dallas has gone 1-1 as a home underdog this season, while OKC owns a solid 9-6 ATS (60%) mark as a road favorite between 1 and 3 points.

OKC has picked up the tempo down the stretch, scoring 100-plus in seven of its final eight games. Dallas has the ability to put points on the board too but this series has been about the 'under.' Three of the four meetings this season went 'under' the number and that was with totals ranging from 196 to 197. Game 1 is looking at a total of 193½ and it would be hard to see that number drop but at the same time, expect it to jump up if either team eclipses the century mark.

Series Outlook: Even though Dallas has a lot of experience, that very well could be their downfall in this series especially when you look at the age of the team. OKC has the best two-man tandem in the league, plus the rest of the team knows their exact roles. Unless the Mavericks shoot an extreme percentage from the outside, like they did during last year's championship run, this series shouldn't be that close. Betting the Thunder to win in five (2/1) or six games (4/1) at Sportsbook.com looks promising, instead of laying the minus-500 (Bet $500 to win $100) series price.

NBA Preview

76ers @ Bulls -- Doug Collins was Michael Jordan's coach in Chicago for three years, so this could be an interesting series for top-seed Bulls, who won two of three vs Philly this year, winning 89-80 (-5) in only meeting here. 76ers lost five of last seven visits to Windy City, with four of the seven games going over the total. Chicago went 8-3 in first two rounds of playoffs LY, before losing to Miami in 5 in Eastern final. Sixers are 3-8 in two playoff series the last three years.

Knicks @ Heat -- Chandler is ill, might not play here; PG Lin is also out for New York, which was 0-3 vs Miami this season, losing by 10-8-14 points- they're 2-10 overall in last 12 series tilts. Last five series games stayed under total. Knicks lost six of last seven visits to Miami, losing by 5-17-22-8-10-14 points. New York covered four of last six games as an underdog. Miami won its first three playoff series LY in five games each, before losing in Finals. Knicks' last playoff series win was in '00.

Magic @ Pacers -- No Dwight Howard here, which makes Orlando easily the team most likely to check out early, but Van Gundy is a solid coach, and Magic won eight of last nine games with Indiana, winning last five in this building. Pacers haven't won playoff series since 2005, losing LY to Bulls in five games in first round. Four of last five series tilts went over the total. Magic lost in first round to Hawks LY, first time in four years they didn't win at least one playoff series.

Mavericks @ Thunder -- Dallas beat Thunder in five games LY in West finals LY on way to NBA title, with its last three wins by 6-7-4 points; Thunder won three of four meetings this year, winning by 2-4 in the two games played in this gym. Mavericks lost last four road games, losing by 4-2-10-17 points. Harden's health (concussion) big ?mark for Thunder team that needs third wheel to support Durant/Westbrook. Last three series games stayed under total.

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