Boston Celtics (15-15) At Dallas Mavericks (20-12)

BOSTON CELTICS (15-15) at DALLAS MAVERICKS (20-12)

Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Dallas -7.5 & 178.5
Opening Line & Total: Mavs -7 & 180.5

The slumping Celtics look to get back on track Monday night when they visit a Dallas team licking its wounds after allowing 104 points in New York on Sunday.

Boston has dropped three in row, including two to lowly Detroit, but the team has played well in Big D, winning six straight ATS, including three SU wins in the past four trips. Paul Pierce has 27.2 PPG (51.4% FG) in these past six visits to Dallas. The Mavs have been out-rebounded by 14 boards over the past four games. And the Celtics have another strong trend in their favor, as Doc Rivers is 28-6 ATS (82.4%) as Bostons coach in road games after having lost 5 or 6 of the past 7 games.

The Celtics couldn’t do much right in Sunday’s 96-81 loss in Detroit, shooting just 44% from the floor and turning the ball over 22 times. Some of that had to do with a frustrated Rajon Rondo (14.8 PPG, 9.5 APG) who was 1-of-6 FG with six turnovers before getting ejected in the third quarter. Rondo’s play will be key for Boston, especially considering he scored 24 points the last time he faced Dallas on Jan. 11, a 90-85 defeat. Kevin Garnett had 16 in that meeting, but his status is uncertain for Monday’s game after not playing Sunday due to personal reasons. If Garnett can’t go, Chris Wilcox (5.3 PPG) will remain in the starting lineup for the fourth time in five games. Wilcox is averaging 14.0 PPG (68% FG) and 8.0 RPG in those three starts this season.

Despite allowing the Knicks to score 104 points Sunday, Dallas has been a very good defensive team all season, holding opponents to 91.2 PPG on 41.6% FG. Star PF Dirk Nowitzki (19.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG) battled injuries for the early part of the season, but he is starting to get on a roll with 25.3 PPG on 51% FG in his past nine games. He scored 34 points (11-of-20 FG) in Sunday’s loss. Jason Terry (14.7 PPG), who missed the previous two games due to a quad injury and personal reasons, was able to return on Sunday. He played pretty well with 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but shot just 3-of-10 from three-point range. In his past five games versus the Celtics, Terry is averaging 15.6 PPG on just 42.9% FG. Vince Carter (10.9 PPG) usually plays well against Boston, averaging 21.4 PPG in 47 career meetings with the Celtics.


PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (17-15) at LOS ANGELES LAKERS (18-13)
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Los Angeles -4 & 180.5
Opening Line & Total: Lakers -4 & 181

After yet another disappointing effort on the road (12-point loss at Phoenix), the Lakers return home Monday night in search of a fifth straight win at Staples Center when they host the Blazers.

In the past 20 meetings between these teams at Staples Center, the average spread has been 8½ points. Mondays low spread is a gift, as L.A. is 17-3 SU in this span, winning those games by 11.0 PPG. The Lakers are 10-5 ATS at home, while the Blazers are 6-9 ATS on the road. Although LaMarcus Aldridge (sprained ankle) returned to action Saturday, he is not yet 100 percent and struggled mightily in his past four games at Staples, shooting a subpar 41.5% FG.

Portland is finally back to full strength with the return of PF LaMarcus Aldridge (22.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG), who missed the better part of three games with a sprained left ankle. Aldridge helped spark his team to a 97-77 home blowout of Atlanta on Saturday with 19 points and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes of action. SF Nicolas Batum (13.6 PPG) led all scorers with 22 points, continuing his hot play of late. Batum has 22.8 PPG on 53% FG in his past four games, all starts. He also scored 25 in his team’s last road game with the Lakers last March. PG Raymond Felton (10.1 PPG, 6.4 APG) bounced back from a scoreless (0-for-7 FG) Thursday night against the Clippers and scored 14 points with eight assists against the Hawks. His career numbers versus the Lakers are pretty solid (15.2 PPG, 6.6 APG), but he shot only 3-of-14 FG in the last meeting on Jan. 5, a 107-96 Blazers home win. Speaking of that last meeting, Gerald Wallace (13.8 PPG) tallied a season-high 31 points in that win. But Wallace has struggled on the road this year with just 9.8 PPG on 38.5% FG (25.9% 3-pt FG).

Kobe Bryant (NBA-high 29.0 PPG) vented his frustration after Sunday’s 102-90 loss in Phoenix, a game in which his team trailed by 27 points in the third quarter. Bryant turned the ball over 10 times in the defeat, but still finished with 32 points, seven boards and five assists. PF Pau Gasol (16.6 PPG, 10.7 RPG) posted his ninth straight double-double (17 points, 12 rebounds) in the loss, as he has been able to overcome the distractions of swirling trade rumors (which Bryant disapproves of) to average 17.4 PPG and 13.7 RPG in this nine-game span. Gasol averages 17.1 PPG and 9.0 RPG in 36 career meetings with Portland. C Andrew Bynum (16.3 PPG, 12.5 RPG) has double-doubles in eight of his past 10 games, averaging 16.4 PPG and 13.1 RPG during this span.