Rogers' NBA TOTAL MASSACRE >> THREE STRAIGHT DOUBLE DIGIT WINNERS!
(NBA) Brooklyn vs. Dallas, 03/10/2017 4:00 PM, Score: 96 - 105
Total: 212.00 | -105.00 Under
Result: Loss
The set-up: The sad-sack Brooklyn Nets own the league's worst overall record at 11-52, as well as its worst road record (4-28). They will be in Dallas tonight to take on the 27-36 Mavericks who seemingly have no interest in the lottery and is looking to sneak into the Western Conference playoffs, even though the team's first round matchup (as the 8-seed) would come against either the Warriors or the Spurs.

Brooklyn: PG Jeremy Lin's hamstring has finally healed and he's been back for seven games. He's averaging 13.6 & 5.0 APG on the season and 17.3 points over the past three games.. The recent trade of Bojan Bogdanovic to the Washington Wizards has seen shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick's (13.6) role increase and he scored 27 points against the Hawks in Wednesday's 110-105 loss, giving 20 or more in a personal-best three consecutive games. Brooklyn concludes its annual "Circus Trip" (note: the Big East Tourney is also occupying Barclays Center this weekend) in Dallas, with the Nets having gone 2-5 so far, which is about as good as the team could expect.

Dallas: The Mavericks seem intent on making a final push for the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoff spot. The Nets and the Suns conclude a five-game homestand in which Dallas has won the first three, so its safe to say that the Mavs have their sights set on a 5-0 homestand! Dirk Nowitzki (30,005) became the sixth player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points during Tuesday's 122-111 victory over the LA Lakers, so with that milestone out of the way, Dallas can focus strictly on its playoff push. Nowitzki owns modest season averages of 13.9 points and 6.7 rebounds and is no longer capable of carrying the team. However, he has registered back-to-back double-doubles and three in the past four games. SG Wesley Matthews (14.9) looked recovered from his hip injury with 15 points on five three-pointers against the Lakers, plus Seth Curry and Yogi Farrell have developed into valuable backcourt pieces, complementing Barea 12.2 & 4.9 APG). Curry (12.9) is 18-of-34 from three-point range while averaging 22.8 points over the past five games, while Farrell has a new multi-year deal (no more 10-day contracts), after averaging 12.4 PPG and 5.1 APG in his 17 games with Dallas. Nerlens Noel (10.0 & 8.5 in six games) has been a valuable trade addition (from Philly) plus Harrison Barnes (20.0 & 5.2) qualifies as a 'steal' from last year's off-season FA market.

The pick: Dallas ranks 30th (98.3 PPG) in scoring but I played them "over" when the Mavs hosted the Lakers (a poor defensive team) on Tuesday and the final was 122-111. The Nets rank dead-last in points allowed at 114.7 PPG, so again, it's an 8* play on the Over.