NBA playoffs: Mavericks and Spurs pegged as road dogs

Houston Rockets will be looking to clinch a berth in the second round of the NBA Playoffs, and extending their home winning streak against Dallas to five games when they meet the Mavericks in Game 5 on Tuesday as heavy seven-point favourites with Coral.

The Rockets failed to complete the sweep against Dallas, who picked up a 121-109 victory in Game 4, winning outright as 3.5-point home underdogs. The win improved the Mavs to 3-1 SU, and a perfect 4-0 ATS, in their last four on home court.

But it has been all Rockets in the Mavericks’ recent visits to Houston. Dallas are a dismal 0-4 SU and ATS in their last four road contests against their cross-state rivals, losing by an average margin of 7.5 points in those defeats.

The Mavericks are not the only club to have struggled in visits to Houston this season. The Rockets are an impressive 18-4 SU in their last 22 contests on home hardwood at Toyota Center, 16-6 ATS, and have posted back-to-back SU home losses just once during the current campaign.

Conversely, Dallas is winless SU and ATS in their last three road games, including the first two of their Playoffs series with the Rockets, and just 4-10 SU in their last 14 on the road, 3-11 ATS.

The point total has played OVER in three of the first four games of the series, and is pegged in Game 5 at a series-high 221.5, according to the online sportsbook at Coral. Overall, the OVER is 8-2 in the Rockets’ last 10, and 11-2 in the Mavericks’ last 13.

San Antonio Spurs @ Los Angeles Clippers (-1.5)
In Tuesday night’s other NBA Playoffs match-up, Los Angeles Clippers will look to take a 3-2 series lead when they welcome San Antonio Spurs to Staples Center as slim 1.5-point home favourites.