Game: Boston Celtics (54-13) at Dallas Mavericks (44-24)
Date: Thursday, March 20 - 8:00 PM EST
Pick: Dallas Mavericks -2½
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BetOnline Oddsmakers currently have the Mavericks listed as 2½-point favorites versus the Celtics, while the game's total is sitting at 189, as both teams will be trying to pick up a win on Thursday when they battle at American Airlines Center.

Winning the last two games, the Boston Celtics have silenced any remaining skeptics who questioned their status as the NBA's best team. With every loss to a championship contender, the questions are piling up for the Dallas Mavericks.

Boston (54-13) began its current five-game road trip with a 99-77 win Saturday in Milwaukee, then fell behind by as many as 22 points Monday in San Antonio before rallying to beat the Spurs 93-91.

The Celtics carried that momentum over the next night, dominating Houston 94-74 and ending the Rockets' 22-game winning streak, the second-longest in NBA history.

Look for all NBA betting trends to continue with a victory on the road by the Mavericks

Playing stingy defense is nothing new for the Celtics, who allow a league-low 90.0 points per game. They've given up just 80.7 points in the three wins on this trip.

The Mavericks come in having won five of their last six, but they've been feasting on some of the NBA's worst teams. Since acquiring Jason Kidd on Feb. 19, the Mavs have yet to beat a team with a winning record.

Dallas made it 0-for-6 against above-.500 teams since Kidd's arrival in its latest game. The Mavericks fell behind by as many as 25 points against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday before rallying in the fourth quarter, ultimately losing 102-100 when Dirk Nowitzki's 3-pointer missed at the buzzer.

Kidd is not what Dallas was hoping for. He's averaging just 5.6 points in his last seven games - he's scoring 10.8 on the season - and his assist totals have dropped as well.
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A few trends to consider:
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Boston is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Boston is 13-1 SU in its last 14 games
Boston is 8-1 ATS in its last 9 games
Dallas is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Boston
Dallas is 16-2 SU in its last 18 games at home
Dallas is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Boston
Dallas is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games