**Mavericks at Spurs**



-- The Lone Star State gets a treat Monday, with the Mavericks and Spurs meeting in an intense Game 7 battle from AT&T Center. Dallas held a 3-2 series lead and had an opportunity to close the door Friday in Game 6, but San Antonio rallied for a 91-86 victory as a 1 ½-point road underdog.



-- The Mavs were without point guard Jason Terry, who was suspended for punching Michael Finley in Game 5 and it turned out to be a big loss. As expected the pressure was put on second-year player Devin Harris and unfortunately the kid had his worst game of the series, going 3-of-14 from the floor for seven points and four turnovers.



-- San Antonio faced adversity and needed a big performance from somebody besides forward Tim Duncan and they got it. Finally, Manu Ginobili busted out with an All Star performance, finishing the game with 30 points and 10 rebounds, including a 12-of-13 spot from the free throw line. Duncan continued his stellar series with 24 points and eight rebounds.



-- Dirk Nowitzki appeared to be on the only player to show up Friday for the Mavs, leading his team with 26 points, 21 rebounds and five assists in a losing effort.



-- The combined 177 points never threatened the closing total of 194 points, helping the ‘under’ cash for just the second time in the last six games. First-half bettors have seen the ‘over’ cash in five of the first six games.



-- With two days off, you can expect some fresh legs. Both teams have performed well in this spot – Dallas going 17-3 straight up and 10-5 against the spread, while San Antonio is 14-1 SU and 10-5 ATS.



-- San Antonio was once known as a dominant home team, but they’ve slipped a tad this season. Going 39-8 SU and 21-26 ATS is nothing to hide, however the Mavs are battle-tested on the road this year, going 29-17 SU and 22-22 ATS.



-- Out of all the Game 7’s this weekend, this is the shortest spread. San Antonio is listed as a 3 ½-point home favorite, with the total sitting at 192. The Spurs are minus-190 (Bet $190 to win $100) on the money-line, while Mavs can cash at a plus-160 (Bet $100 to win $160) underdog price.



-- Five of the six games have been decided by five points or less, including an overtime battle. Normally you would just pick the winner with a low spread, but favorites have been winning yet not covering so far.



-- Tip off is slated for 8:00 p.m. EDT with TNT providing national coverage.



-- The winner of this series will host the Western Conference Finals against the Suns or Clippers.



**Clippers at Suns**



-- The Zig-Zag trend could possibly continue Monday, as both Phoenix and Los Angeles have countered one another with wins and losses. The Clippers forced a decisive Game 7 by running past the Suns 118-106 on Thursday from Staples Center.




The Clippers' Elton Brand was held to 20 points in Game 3's setback. (AP Images)
-- Los Angeles covered the five-point line, while the combined 224 points skipped ‘over’ the closing total of 216. The Clippers led by 12 points at the break (62-50), cashing tickets on the first-half side and total as well.



-- The team that establishes the paint has been the victor in this series. In Game 6, Elton Brand (30), Quinton Ross (18) and Chris Kaman (15) combined for more than half of the Clippers’ points.



-- For the third time in this series, Suns’ forward Shawn Marion ripped the Clippers for 30-plus points with 34 in Thursday’s setback.



-- It’s amazing how good a team looks when you hit your shots. Mike Dunleavy’s squad shot a blistering 62 percent (48-of-78) from the field, plus 20-of-23 from the charity stripe.



-- As bad as the Suns shot (43%) and as bad as they were crushed on the glass (48-28), Mike D’Antonio’s team was only down seven points heading into the final 12 minutes. Makes you wonder why if the Clips have anything left in the tank?



-- On another note, L.A. has shot better from the field in five of the six games, yet the series is still knotted at 3-3.



-- Winning on the road is a huge luxury in this league and it’s not an easy thing to do. Only five teams managed to have a record above .500 and the Clippers (22-24 SU, 24-21 ATS) weren’t one of them. Three of the four postseason setbacks suffered by L.A. have come away from home, including two in this series.



-- The odds for this series have been consistent throughout the series, including Monday’s finale. Phoenix is listed as a four-point home favorite for Game 7 and the total bouncing between 215 and 216. Money-line players can wager on the Suns as a $2.00 favorite (Bet $200 to win $100) or take back on the Clippers at a $1.70 underdog (Bet $100 to win $170).



-- I’m a little surprised this game wasn’t played on Saturday or Sunday, but money talks and the television networks have NBA commissioner David Stern in their pocket.



-- That being said, both the Clips and Suns will enter this game with three days off. If trends stay constant, then expect some rust. L.A. is 2-5 SU and 3-4 ATS with three days of rest, while the Suns are 4-4 SU and 2-6 ATS.



-- Keep in mind that the point-spread hasn’t mattered in this series. When the favorite wins, they cover too. If you like the underdog, then play the money-line.



-- The winner of this game will be traveling to Texas for the Western Conference Finals, with a meeting against the Spurs or Mavs.



-- TNT will be offering national coverage of this tip at 10:30 p.m. EDT.