NBA Finals Rematch Odds: Miami Heat vs Dallas Mavericks
Saturday, December 24, 2011
by Bovada Sportsbook
The Dallas Mavericks will raise the franchise’s first NBA championship banner on Christmas Day and get to do so right in front of the team they upset in last year’s Finals: the Miami Heat. That matchup highlights the five Christmas games as the NBA opens its 2011-12 season. Miami opened as a 4-point favorite on Bovada’s NBA basketball odds.
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The Heat didn’t undergo much change from last year as they are snug up against the cap after getting LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade in South Beach a season ago. The main addition was swingman Shane Battier, a terrific perimeter defender and good 3-point shooter. But he is doubtful for the opener because of a left quad strain that forced him to miss both exhibition games. Also expected out is new center Eddy Curry. For sure sidelined are swingman Mike Miller, who missed nearly all of last season, and fellow sharpshooter Eddie House. So that’s four rotation players who could sit, meaning more minutes for the Big 3.
Dallas, which beat the Heat in six games in the Finals, lost two key pieces of that team in center Tyson Chandler and guard J.J. Barea. But the Mavs stole Lamar Odom from the Lakers for next-to-nothing and also signed guards Vince Carter and Delonte West. Thus Dallas could be better offensively than a year ago but certainly worse off on the defensive end.
The Mavs are going to need a lot more from Brendan Haywood, who becomes the starting center. Haywood did not a score a point. He did not get to the free-throw line. In two preseason games, the 7-foot, 263-pounder averaged 2.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 22.0 minutes. Dallas was beaten in both preseason games by Oklahoma City, but Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd didn’t play in the first and Jason Terry and West didn’t play in the second. Miami went 1-1 in the preseason vs. Orlando.
The Mavs swept both regular-season games with Miami last year, winning 106-95 at home and 98-96 in South Florida. Nowitzki averaged 24.0 points and 7.5 rebounds in those games. LeBron averaged just 21.0 points in the two games but 9.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists.
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brendan haywood - chris bosh - dallas mavericks - delonte west - dirk nowitzki - eddie house - eddy curry - j.j. barea - jason kidd - jason terry
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