Rockets vs Mavericks

Houston has rolled into Dallas on a two-game winning streak with a 15-5 record, an 8-3 mark on the road, and a recent 110-102 win over these Mavericks where Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun controlled the game at both ends. Dallas, now 8-16 and coming off a deflating blowout loss in Oklahoma City, is missing key creators and rim protection with Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II out and Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington banged up, leaving Cooper Flagg and an inconsistent Anthony Davis to shoulder a heavy load on the second night of a back-to-back. With the Rockets’ depth, size and recent dominance of this matchup, they deserve to be heavy favorites, but the -420 price trims the value even if the win probability is high, so this is a solid but not premium play at a B grade. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 06/12/2025 09:56am

Dallas’ offense just managed 111 points in a blowout loss at OKC with Anthony Davis held to two points, and now the Mavericks face a locked-in Rockets defense that has held recent opponents like Phoenix and Sacramento under 100 while allowing just 109–110 points per game overall during a 15-5 start. Houston can certainly score behind Kevin Durant and Sengun, but with Kyrie Irving sidelined, Lively out, Gafford and Washington iffy, and both teams on a back-to-back, this sets up more like a controlled Rockets win than a true track meet, especially given that three of the last four meetings have landed at or below the mid-220s. I like the Under 224.5 at -110 as a modest edge that leans on Houston’s elite halfcourt defense and Dallas’ shorthanded creation, but the possibility of late garbage-time scoring and Houston’s explosive ceiling keeps it at a B- rather than a stronger grade. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 06/12/2025 09:56am

The Rockets’ front line of Durant, Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. has repeatedly overwhelmed Dallas recently, including this season’s 110-102 win in Houston and last spring’s 133-96 demolition, and they now catch a Mavericks team that’s 5-9 at home, on a four-in-six stretch, and missing Kyrie while relying heavily on rookie Cooper Flagg and a banged-up Anthony Davis. Houston enters at 15-5 with a W2 streak and one of the league’s best net ratings, routinely winning by double digits during this recent run, while Dallas’ defense has bled points (around 116 allowed per game) and is further weakened by Lively’s absence and uncertain availability for Gafford and Washington. Laying -8.5 at -115 carries some risk of a backdoor cover if Houston eases off late, but the combination of form, matchup history and injury disparity makes a comfortable Rockets margin more likely than not, earning this a B grade with better value than the steep moneyline. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 06/12/2025 09:56am