Posted on 1/9/2008 6:32:40 PM

NBA Basketball Betting – Detroit at Dallas

By Charles Jay

The Detroit Pistons (26-8 SU, 23-10-1 ATS), having just had their 11-game winning streak snapped, will try to get a new one going tonight at the American Airlines Center when they face off against the Dallas Mavericks (23-11 SU, 15-19-1 ATS) in NBA action beginning at 9 PM ET.

In the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds, the Mavericks are listed at -2, with the total posted at 189 points.

In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:

* DET has covered six of the last eight meetings

* DET has covered 10 of the last 13 meetings as the home team

* DALL has won four of the last six meetings SU as the home team

* Four of the last five meetings in Dallas have gone OVER the total

* Dallas has had the shooting edge in four of the last five meetings

Detroit had won eleven games in a row until they were halted by revenge-seeking Boston on Saturday night, losing 92-85 at home. The Pistons were held to 39% shooting that night by the league-leading Celtic defense. Detroit is still hitting just a shade under 47% of its field goals to date, while limiting opponents to 43.2% from the floor. The Pistons turn the ball over only 11 times a game. Also:

* DET has won and covered 11 of its last 12 games

* DET has played nine of its last 13 games UNDER the total

* DET has won and covered its last five road games

* DET has covered six of its last seven games after a SU loss

Dallas is not as hot as Detroit has been, but the Mavs have won nine of their last 11 games. Dallas shoots 46.7% field goals, which pits it just a sliver under Detroit. Dallas leads the NBA in free throw percentage at 82.5%. Also:

* DALL has played seven of its last eight games UNDER the total

* DALL is 5-9-1 ATS in its last 15 home games

* DALL has won eight of its last nine home games SU

You can't disparage what Dallas has done lately. Prior to blowing out Minnesota and beating Miami, the Mavs scored a 22-point blowout of the Golden State Warriors, a team that has had their number in the recent past.

But with three days off since its loss to the Celtics, you had better believe Detroit will be primed for a very big effort tonight, especially on the defensive end. The Pistons do a very good job of getting back on defense, and one of the keys to its recent run is the contribution the team gets from the second unit, whether it is Jason Maxiell, Jarvis Hayes or Rodney Stuckey coming off the bench. The veteran Detroit squad has covered 12 of its 18 road games, and have been huge coming off a defeat (6-1 ATS).

When you can play defense on the road, you always have a chance. That the Pistons most definitely do, yielding just 92.7 ppg away from the Palace (second best figure in the NBA). Since they have enough savvy to dictate tempo, they should be able to make Dallas play half court offense more than they want. Erick Dampier (knee) and Jerry Stackhouse (thumb) will play for Dallas, but their injuries are still something of a concern.

We'll grab the points and look for the Pistons - the 2-point underdog in the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds - to, at the very least, cover their 12th game out of 13.

NBA betting odds: DALLAS -2, Total: 189

JAY'S PLAY: DETROIT

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(Charles Jay of TotalActionExtra.com is a freelance writer and handicapper who not only can make his shots from the top of the key, but also contributes with gusto to the BetUS Locker Room)