NBA Odds: Celtics Enter Home Clash With Mavericks As Heavy Favorites

The Boston Celtics will be looking for a fourth straight victory when they play host to the resurgent Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night as 9-point favorites on the NBA odds at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.

Boston improved its league-leading straight-up record to 21-4 with a 111-100 win over Milwaukee as 4.5-point home chalk and now has topped the century mark in nine of 11 contests going into Wednesday night’s Mavericks vs. Celtics betting matchup at TD Garden.

The Celtics’ high-scoring ways have produced winning results for bettors taking the OVER in totals betting, which has paid out in eight of their past nine, but they are just 4-3 against the spread in their last seven outings, including two of the first four dates on their current five-game homestand.

Despite their recent uneven performances, the Celtics remain the NBA’s most reliable bet this season, going 19-5-1 ATS, including a solid 9-3-1 ATS mark on home court. The Celtics also have risen to the occasion when pegged as home favorites of seven or more points, going 13-2 SU in their past 15, and covering in five of seven, according to the OddsShark NBA Database.

The Mavericks look to be bouncing back from a dismal start as they open a three-game road trip in Boston. Dallas quickly fell to the bottom of the Western Conference standings while opening the campaign on a 2-14 SU run. However, the club has played solid defense while winning SU in five of its past eight games, holding opponents to 82 or fewer points in three of those victories and covering in six of its past eight outings.

Sustained success on the road has eluded the Mavericks, who have failed to win consecutive contests during a 6-18 SU run but have notched outright victories as betting underdogs in two of their past four away dates, including a 113-99 win in Washington as heavy 10-point underdogs on Nov. 12.

Dallas now faces the huge challenge of ending a three-game SU and ATS slide against the Celtics. The Mavericks dropped a 110-102 decision to Boston as 6.5-point home underdogs on Nov. 20 but are a respectable 6-2 SU and 7-1 ATS in eight visits to TD Garden.

The Celtics hit the road following Wednesday’s contest for a three-game road trip, starting in San Antonio on Friday night before wrapping up the weekend with a Sunday afternoon date with the Detroit Pistons.

Boston ended an 0-11 SU run against the Spurs with a 108-94 win as 4-point home favorites on Oct. 30 and is 4-1 SU and ATS in its past five visits to Detroit.