**Mavericks at Spurs**
--San Antonio (58-17 straight up, 37-37 against the spread) can nearly put a dagger into the Mavericks with a win tonight at SBC Center. The Spurs own a two-game advantage in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference. If San Antonio can take a three-game lead with six to play, it will be looking solid to garner the top seed in the West, while the Mavs will have to settle for the No. 4 seed and a dangerous first-round series against either the Clippers or Grizzlies.
--Since enduring a three-game losing streak on the road, Dallas (56-19 SU, 36-37 ATS) has won back-to-back games in convincing fashion. The Mavs crushed Denver 103-79 before thumping Sacramento by a 127-101 count.
--Avery Johnson's squad is 24-13 SU and 16-19 ATS on the road. Meanwhile, Gregg Popovich's club is 31-5 SU and 18-18 ATS at home.
--Both teams come into this spot with two days of rest. San Antonio is 7-3 ATS on two days of rest, while Dallas is 10-5 ATS.
--Dallas forward Keith Van Horn is out for the season with a broken hand. He underwent surgery to repair the hand on April 4th. The journeyman was averaging a career-low 8.9 points per game.
--The 'under' is 38-35 overall for the Mavs, but the 'over' is 18-17 for them on the road.
--The 'over' has hit in four of the last five games for Dallas.
--The 'under' is 40-31 for the Spurs overall, 23-12 in their road games.
--Dallas has covered the spread in four of the last five head-to-head meetings between these clubs.
--Most sports books are listing San Antonio as a five-point favorite with a total of 187. Bettors can back Dallas on the money line for a plus-200 payoff.
--ESPN will have television coverage at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
**Lakers at Suns**
--Phoenix (49-25 SU, 39-34 ATS) has won six in a row against the Lakers, posting a 5-1 spread record. The Suns are 8-2 ATS in the last 10 head-to-head meetings between these Western Conference adversaries.
--Los Angeles (40-36 SU, 40-34 ATS) is clinging to the seventh seed in the West after losing in overtime 110-108 last night at Denver. The Lakers covered the spread as six-point underdogs, but they lost outright when Carmelo Anthony drained a jumper with 3.8 seconds left in the extra session.
--Phoenix has lost two straight games and four of its last six following Wednesday's 119-105 loss to the Clippers as an eight-point home 'chalk.'
--Will Phil Jackson's team be laboring in this back-to-back spot? That's a fair question since the Lakers are only 7-11 ATS on zero days of rest. Five players logged 31 minutes or more last night, topped by Kobe Bryant's 45.
--Mike D'Antoni's team is 28-10 SU at home, but it has struggled to an 18-19 spread mark.
--The 'under' is 23-16 for the Lakers on the road.
--The 'over' is 41-30 overall for the Suns, 20-16 in their home games.
--Tip-off is slated for 10:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.
--San Antonio (58-17 straight up, 37-37 against the spread) can nearly put a dagger into the Mavericks with a win tonight at SBC Center. The Spurs own a two-game advantage in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference. If San Antonio can take a three-game lead with six to play, it will be looking solid to garner the top seed in the West, while the Mavs will have to settle for the No. 4 seed and a dangerous first-round series against either the Clippers or Grizzlies.
--Since enduring a three-game losing streak on the road, Dallas (56-19 SU, 36-37 ATS) has won back-to-back games in convincing fashion. The Mavs crushed Denver 103-79 before thumping Sacramento by a 127-101 count.
--Avery Johnson's squad is 24-13 SU and 16-19 ATS on the road. Meanwhile, Gregg Popovich's club is 31-5 SU and 18-18 ATS at home.
--Both teams come into this spot with two days of rest. San Antonio is 7-3 ATS on two days of rest, while Dallas is 10-5 ATS.
--Dallas forward Keith Van Horn is out for the season with a broken hand. He underwent surgery to repair the hand on April 4th. The journeyman was averaging a career-low 8.9 points per game.
--The 'under' is 38-35 overall for the Mavs, but the 'over' is 18-17 for them on the road.
--The 'over' has hit in four of the last five games for Dallas.
--The 'under' is 40-31 for the Spurs overall, 23-12 in their road games.
--Dallas has covered the spread in four of the last five head-to-head meetings between these clubs.
--Most sports books are listing San Antonio as a five-point favorite with a total of 187. Bettors can back Dallas on the money line for a plus-200 payoff.
--ESPN will have television coverage at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
**Lakers at Suns**
--Phoenix (49-25 SU, 39-34 ATS) has won six in a row against the Lakers, posting a 5-1 spread record. The Suns are 8-2 ATS in the last 10 head-to-head meetings between these Western Conference adversaries.
--Los Angeles (40-36 SU, 40-34 ATS) is clinging to the seventh seed in the West after losing in overtime 110-108 last night at Denver. The Lakers covered the spread as six-point underdogs, but they lost outright when Carmelo Anthony drained a jumper with 3.8 seconds left in the extra session.
--Phoenix has lost two straight games and four of its last six following Wednesday's 119-105 loss to the Clippers as an eight-point home 'chalk.'
--Will Phil Jackson's team be laboring in this back-to-back spot? That's a fair question since the Lakers are only 7-11 ATS on zero days of rest. Five players logged 31 minutes or more last night, topped by Kobe Bryant's 45.
--Mike D'Antoni's team is 28-10 SU at home, but it has struggled to an 18-19 spread mark.
--The 'under' is 23-16 for the Lakers on the road.
--The 'over' is 41-30 overall for the Suns, 20-16 in their home games.
--Tip-off is slated for 10:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.