Dallas Sports Fan – Mavericks In Battle With Heat, Rangers Still Atop Of AL West

While Belmont betting players in the Dallas area are likely preparing for the final jewel in the Triple Crown on Saturday at Belmont Park, a lot of people will be focused on the NBA Finals, where Dallas is locked in a tense showdown with Miami. In baseball action on the diamond, Texas is steadily maintaining a small cushion at the top of the American League West.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks are tied at two games apiece heading into their crucial Game 5 meeting with the Heat at American Airlines Center in Dallas, and this rematch from the 2006 Finals has been everything that you could hope for, and a little more. Dallas needed a furious comeback to steal Game 2 in Miami, before losing another two-point battle in Game 3 at home. Game 4 will be known as the “Nowitzki Flu Game”, as Dirk Nowitzki had a high fever and a sinus infection, but still managed to score 10 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter of a three-point victory to knot the series. This matchup has all the intensity and drama of a WWE Raw episode, as there has been some trash talk off and on the court, and now that it is essentially a best of three, expect things to get even hotter. The Mavericks have their last home game of the season on Thursday night, before heading to Miami for Game 6 on Sunday, and if necessary, Game 7 will be on Tuesday, also in Miami.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers have a 2.5-game lead in the American League West ahead of Thursday’s series opener in Minnesota, and MLB betting players have watched them flex their muscles over the past week as Texas went into Cleveland and swept the Indians, who are starting to come back to earth. Still, in a matchup of division leaders, Texas was dominant, outscoring the Indians 24-6, while shutting them out in the last two games of the series. The Rangers then returned home to lose two of three against Detroit, which showed that they really put a lot of energy into the Cleveland series, but a 7-3 win in the finale was encouraging. As was said before, the Rangers will be in Minnesota for four games beginning on Thursday, before moving on for a three-game series with the Yankees in New York. The Twins are starting to awake from their early-season slumber, so the Rangers shouldn’t take them lightly, and of course, it’s always an occasion when they meet the Yankees, and that series should be the one that gets the most attention in your sports betting book next week.

Dallas Sports Fan – Mavs Fall In Game 1, Rangers Headed For Cleveland Showdown

Belmont betting players can respect the grind of a professional season as the final race of the Triple Crown is the longest of all three, and it’s not always about how fast you are. In the NBA, Dallas got off to a slow start in the NBA Finals, but they still have a chance, while in MLB action, Texas is preparing hit the second part of the season with a big series against the surprise team of the majors.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks fell 92-84 in Miami in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, shooting a miserable 37.3% from the field, and they were also beaten terribly on the offensive glass by a margin of 16-6. Dirk Nowitzki dropped 27 points, while Shawn Marion added 16 points, but Dallas got nothing from their bench; Jason Terry and J.J. Barea went 4-of-18 from the floor, combining for 14 points, and the Mavericks need far more points than off the bench because their starters can’t outscore their Miami counterparts. The Mavericks are 4.5-point underdogs in your pay per head sportsbook for Game 2 on Thursday night, also in Miami, and they would love to snatch a win before heading home for three possible games, since the Finals uses a 2-3-2 format. Also of note, Nowitzki has a torn tendon in a finger on his non-shooting hand that he suffered in Game 1, but he says it’s not bothering him and it shouldn’t be an issue. Still, it’s something worth paying attention to.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers are starting to roll, as MLB betting players watched them take two of three from Kansas City at home last weekend, and then they went to Tampa Bay and took two of three from the Rays. Their two losses came in an extra-inning affair with the Royals last Friday in a game that lasted 14 innings, and they also lost by a run to the Rays, who got an eighth-inning homer from Evan Longoria. However, the Rangers still sit atop the American League West with a 1.5-game lead over Seattle as they get ready for a massive series on the road in Cleveland, who still have the best record in the major leagues and are causing many to wonder if they’re actually for real. Beginning on Thursday, the Rangers will be in Cleveland for four games in this tilt of American League division leaders, before returning home on Monday for a three-game set with another team from the Central, Detroit. There are 3.5 games separating first from last in the West, and the Rangers can’t afford to slip up, so look for them to be a factor in your online sportsbook over the next week.

Dallas Sports Fan – Mavericks Return To Finals, Hamilton Back For Rangers

Even Belmont Stakes betting will have to take a back seat to the Mavericks in the Dallas area right now, as the Mavericks are on their way back to the NBA Finals for the first time in five years. On the baseball diamond, Texas gets their slugger and MVP Josh Hamilton back in the lineup, and he returns with a bang.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks could very well be out of the NBA playoffs right now, but instead they came out on top in their Western Conference finals matchup against Oklahoma City, claiming a game 5 win to set up a return to the Finals. Game 4’s 112-105 overtime win wasn’t the series clincher, but it was the straw that broke Oklahoma City’s back as the Mavericks were down by 15 points with less than five minutes left, but they managed to claw their way back and force a slew of mistakes out of the young Thunder. Dirk Nowitzki continued to hit shots that no other big man in the league could hit, and once the Mavericks managed to take it to an extra period on the road, you could see the Thunder’s spirit snapping in half. Now, the Mavericks will likely face Miami in a rematch of the 2006 Finals, which some would compare to an episode of WWE Smack Down with the calls that Dwyane Wade was getting back then. With LeBron James now in Miami as well, it could be even worse.

Texas Rangers

MLB betting players watched the Rangers drop two of three in Philadelphia in a clash of World Series contenders, and they couldn’t get their offense going as they scored a grand total of six runs in three games, including a 2-0 loss in a reunion with Cliff Lee, who led the Rangers to the World Series last year before returning to Philadelphia. However, business started to pick up on Monday when Josh Hamilton came off the disabled list and hit a homer in his first at-bat in a 4-0 victory. Lost in the shadow of Hamilton’s return was Nelson Cruz coming back, and he also went deep in his first game back with the Rangers, who proceeded to win two of three at home against the White Sox. The Rangers will stay at home this weekend as they welcome Kansas City to town on Friday for a three-game set, and then they’ll head out on the road on Monday for a three-game set in Tampa Bay. The Rangers’ offense lacked pop while Hamilton and Cruz were on the sidelines, but with them in the lineup, they’re much scarier, which bodes well for their sports betting odds next week.

Dallas Sports Fan – Mavs Three Wins Away From NBA Finals, Rangers Prepare For Phillies

While 2011 Preakness Stakes betting will get most of the attention this weekend, it’s a big weekend for Dallas’ professional sports teams, particularly in the NBA and MLB as the Mavericks look to continue their brilliant play against Oklahoma City in the Western Conference finals, while Texas gets ready to face another team (and their former ace) in interleague play in a clash that features clubs with World Series aspirations.

Dallas Mavericks

With no NFL picks on the horizon, Cowboys fans have likely migrated to the Mavericks, and what a time to do it as the Mavericks have been the most impressive team in the playoffs to date. They kept it rolling with a 121-112 win over Oklahoma City at home in Game 1 of the West finals, and they got a record-setting performance from Dirk Nowitzki, who made all 24 of his free throws to set a new benchmark en route to 48 points. But while Nowitzki’s performance made all the headlines, the key to the game was a bench that outscored their Oklahoma City counterparts 53-22 on the night. If the Mavericks are going to make it back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2006, they’ll need more from their bench because Nowitzki isn’t going to score 48 points a night….at least we think he’s not going to, but he has been spectacular in the postseason. The Mavericks will look to take a 2-0 series lead when they host the Thunder on Thursday, before heading to Oklahoma City for games on Saturday and Monday. The Mavericks will return home on Wednesday for Game 5, if it is necessary.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers gave MLB betting players reason to have faith in them after an inconsistent period by winning four of six games ahead of a game in Kansas City on Thursday night, starting with two of three at home against their American West rivals from Los Angeles. The Rangers then went to Chicago to split a two-game series with the White Sox before moving on to another mini-series with the Royals, taking the first game in extra innings on Wednesday. The Rangers will kick off interleague play on Friday in Philadelphia as they take on the Phillies in a matchup that should have happened in last year’s World Series, if not for San Francisco’s upset of the Phillies. The Rangers will also see a couple of familiar faces in Philadelphia as they faced Roy Halladay a lot when he was in Toronto, and he’ll be on the hill on Friday. On Saturday, Cliff Lee gets the ball after leading the Rangers to the World Series last year, so that will be an emotional game, and even on Sunday, Texas fans will be familiar with Roy Oswalt, who spent nine years in Houston. Following this massive series, the Rangers welcome the White Sox to town in a midweek sports betting matchup.

Dallas Sports Fan – Mavericks Surprising, Rangers Slumping, Cowboys Come Up With A Good Draft

While 2011 Kentucky Derby betting takes place this weekend, there is definitely lots of action elsewhere for Dallas-area players to focus their attentions, such as the Mavericks, who have the defending champions from Los Angeles on the ropes. Texas has gone cold, allowing the Angels to catch up, and the Cowboys had a quiet, but solid, draft.

Dallas Mavericks

If someone who predicted NBA scores would have told you that the Mavericks would win the first two games of their second-round series with the Lakers in Los Angeles, you probably would have thought they were crazy. But here the Mavericks are, heading home to Dallas with a 2-0 series lead, and they’ve shown something that a lot of people didn’t think they had: heart. First, they closed out Portland in a very hostile environment, then they bounced back from a 16-point deficit in Game 1 against the Lakers to come away with a two-point win. Then in Game 2, the Mavericks started hot and finished strong in a 12-point win, frustrating the Lakers and in particular, Ron Artest, who clotheslined J.J.Barea and will miss the third game due to suspension. The Mavericks have held the Lakers to just under 41% from the field over the first two games of the series, and they’ve taken Pau Gasol out of the offense, which piles pressure on Kobe Bryant. Dirk Nowitzki has averaged 26.0 points and 10.5 rebounds and has definitely gotten the better of his matchup with Gasol. The series shifts to Dallas on Friday and Sunday, and if they have to go back to Los Angeles, that will go on Tuesday.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers have had a tough week on the road, dropping three of four in Oakland, and they’re going into Thursday’s finale in Seattle with a split of the first two games.  In those six games, the Rangers scored three runs or less in three of the games, losing all three, so it’s obvious that they miss the injured Josh Hamilton. Texas is now tied in the MLB standings with the Los Angeles Angels at the top of the American League West, and they’ll return home on Friday to try to get back on track, starting with a three-game set against New York, who won two of three in the Bronx in the first series. Then, the Rangers will welcome the Athletics to town.

Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys picked three offensive linemen in last week’s draft as they look to do a better job of protecting quarterback Tony Romo, who missed most of last year with a broken collarbone. USC’s Tyron Smith was the first-round pick, and he is incredibly athletic for a man his size. The Cowboys used to be known for their strength up front, and they’re looking to Smith to help them towards that level again, and an improved offensive line is definitely a good way to boost your sports betting odds.

Dallas Sports Fan – Mavericks Try To Get Rid Of Blazers, Rangers Still Top Of The West

There is still time to bet on the Kentucky Derby as the race is next weekend, but Dallas-area fans have plenty to keep them occupied as the Mavericks are locked in a tough first-round matchup in the NBA playoffs, Texas is staying in front of Los Angeles in the American League West, and the Cowboys are looking towards the defensive line for Thursday’s draft.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks will be in Portland on Thursday night as they look to close out their series against Portland, but they’ll be the underdogs as the home team has won the first five games of the series. Portland’s home crowd may be the loudest in the league, and Dallas hasn’t been able to keep them quiet. The Mavericks have to bring the same energy on the road as they do at home, and they also have to be more aggressive going to the hoop, especially Dirk Nowitzki, who averages eight more trips to the foul line at home than he has been in Portland. If the Mavericks can’t end the series on Thursday, Game 7 will be in Dallas on Saturday, so it’s coming down to the wire for the Mavericks.

Texas Rangers

MLB betting players have watched the Rangers race out to a great start at home, where they have won 11 of their first 15 games at the Ballpark. Texas is wrapping up a 10-game homestand on Thursday afternoon against Toronto, and a win would give them a split after they lost the first two games of the series. This follows a sweep of Kansas City last weekend, and the Rangers will head into Thursday’s game with a 1.5-game lead over the Los Angeles Angels in the West as they prepare to head out on the road for the week. On Friday, the Rangers will travel to Oakland to kick off a four-game set with the Athletics, then Texas will be in Seattle for three games against the Mariners. Both are division rivals, so a few wins over the week could give them some breathing room atop the division.

Dallas Cowboys

Teams will be getting ready to make their NFL picks on Thursday night in New York City, and a lot of mock drafts are saying that the Cowboys will lean towards a defensive lineman, particularly an end to fit into their 3-4 defense. The Cowboys could also end up going with an offensive tackle as they have to do a better job of protecting quarterback Tony Romo, but the position of defensive line is much deeper than their offensive counterparts. Either way, Dallas will be making a strong effort to improve their sports betting odds for next season (whenever it starts). 

Dallas Sports Fan – Mavericks Hold Serve At Home, Rangers Holding On In The West

With no NHL news coming out of Dallas, Stars fans have likely turned their attention to the NBA playoffs, where the Mavericks held up their end of the bargain in the first two games of their first-round series. Meanwhile, the Rangers finally lost at home, but they’re still a force to be reckoned with in the American League West.

Dallas Mavericks

Some who bet Kentucky Derby online will be looking to see what horse jockey Calvin Borel will be piloting as he has won three of their last four Derbies, making Churchill Downs his house. It’s always good to protect your house, and the Mavericks did so by taking the first two games of their series with Portland. They didn’t play their best in Game 1 as the Trailblazers outscored Dallas 46-18 in the paint, and the Mavericks shot 40.9% from the field, but they still came away with an 89-81 win. The Mavericks played much better in Game 2 as they rolled to a 101-89 victory, and Dirk Nowitzki has averaged 30.5 points and 8.5 boards over the two contests, although he’s shot only 38.1% from the field. Jason Kidd has averaged 21.0 points and 6.0 assists, and the Mavericks have gotten key contributions from other players, like Peja Stojakovic’s 21 points off the bench in Game 2. Game 3 is slated to go Thursday night in Portland, with Game 4 coming on Saturday, and the Mavericks lost both of their trips to Dallas during the regular season, so they will be happy to come away with a split to bring the series back to Dallas for Game 5 on Monday.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers dropped two out of three MLB matchups in New York last weekend, ending a nine-game road trip (one game in Baltimore was postponed) with a 4-5 record. They returned home on Monday to open up a three-game set against their American League West rivals from Los Angeles, and it opened up well with a 7-1 thrashing of the Angels as they scored six runs between the fourth and fifth innings. However, the Angels responded with a 15-4 trouncing, and the Rangers didn’t do themselves any favors with four errors on the day, and no one is going to be successful with that sort of fielding. Wednesday’s finale sees Matt Harrison going up against Jered Weaver in a battle of the unbeaten pitchers, and this game will go a long way towards momentum and staking a claim to the West throne. The Rangers have a day off on Thursday before Kansas City comes to town on Friday for three games, and Toronto follows that up with a four-game set, so expect the Rangers to be a favorite next week in your sports book.

Dallas Round-Up – Cowboys Finally Win, Mavs Streaking, Rangers Begin Lee Chase

There was a high pay per head price for tickets to last weekend’s Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito fight, which is probably the best action in Cowboys Stadium yet this season. But the Cowboys finally made a change and ended up with a victory, which is a start. Meanwhile, the Mavericks are off to a fast start, while the Rangers are trying to hold onto their ace, among others.

Dallas Cowboys
NFL betting players were wondering how long it would take Jerry Jones to put Wade Phillips out of his misery, and the writing was on the wall after a 45-7 humiliation at Green Bay. Phillips was out the next day, making offensive coordinator Jason Garrett the interim head coach. Garrett’s first order of business was to institute a dress code and have the players practice in pads. The extra intensity must have worked as the Cowboys came out on fire in a 33-20 win on the road against the New York Giants in a game that wasn’t even that close. Dez Bryant had his first 100-yard game, and the defense forced three turnovers in their best performance in weeks. The talent has always been there, but the Cowboys actually cared this week, and that’s all it takes. They’ll have to bring that same attitude into Week 11, when they welcome an improved Detroit team to Dallas early on Sunday afternoon.

Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks have won seven of their first nine games ahead of Wednesday’s meeting with the Hornets in New Orleans, and the Hornets will have their stingers out after the Mavericks became the first team to beat them. Dallas ended the Hornets’ unbeaten run at eight games with a 98-95 win on Monday night at home, getting 26 points from Jason Terry. That was the third straight game in which Dirk Nowitzki wasn’t the leading scorer, and that bodes well for the Mavericks’ NBA betting odds because we all know Nowitzki can score at will. If this keeps him fresher for the playoffs, the season will be a success. The Mavericks have won four straight going into their Wednesday showdown with New Orleans, then they’ll host Chicago on Friday, head to Atlanta on Saturday, followed by another back-to-back when they welcome Detroit on Tuesday, then travel to Oklahoma City on Wednesday.

Texas Rangers
Texas closer Neftali Feliz was named the American League Rookie of the Year after a phenomenal 40-save performance, and the Rangers are officially in offseason mode. The first order of business is to re-sign ace Cliff Lee, who has no shortage of suitors, including the deep-pocketed New York Yankees, who could barely hit Lee in the ALCS. They also are trying to re-sign slugger Vladdy Guerrero, and word is the Rangers are after catcher Victor Martinez to upgrade that position. If they can pull off this trio of signings, look for the Rangers near the top of next year’s betting odds.

Dallas Round-Up – Mavs Hope To Make Up For Rangers, Cowboys

World Series betting players are already gearing up for next year, and Texas has a lot of questions to answer after their run to the Fall Classic ended in disappointment, which is a word that doesn’t begin to describe the Cowboys. Hopefully, the Mavericks will lift the spirits of fans in the area.

Dallas Cowboys

Where to even start? The Cowboys are now 1-6 after an awful 35-17 loss at home against Jacksonville, and Jaguars quarterback David Garrard said that the Cowboys didn’t even look into the game. No one has answers, but you have to think that Wade Phillips’ time is almost up in Dallas (you could probably find decent odds on that prop if you’re betting on NFL lines). How far can they go with Jon Kitna? They’ll find out soon since Tony Romo is likely gone for the year. There hasn’t been an implosion of a team like this in, well, it’s hard to even think of one. It gets no better for the Cowboys, who head to Lambeau Field to face Green Bay on Sunday night.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers’ bats were silent in their five-game loss to San Francisco in the World Series, hitting an anemic .190 against the Giants. Possibly more surprising was that ace Cliff Lee was beaten twice by San Francisco counterpart Tim Lincecum, and although he pitched far better in Game 5 than he did in Game 1, when he didn’t make it out of the fifth inning, that performance must leave a bad taste in the mouth of Lee (and MLB betting players who wagered on the Rangers). Now, the Rangers have a couple of major decisions to make in the offseason. Will they bring back Vladdy Guerrero, as they declined his option but are hoping to re-sign him at a cheaper price? The bigger question is Lee, who is a free agent and will command $20 million a year. Can the Rangers afford to keep him? Can they afford to let him go?

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks have won three of their first four of the gate in the NBA season, rolling over Charlotte before a one-point loss to Memphis, with both games coming at home. The next games were on the road and the Mavericks passed their tests with flying colors, romping to a win over the Los Angeles Clippers before edging Denver in a one-point win on Wednesday. The usual suspects are leading the way as Dirk Nowitki has averaged 26.5 points and 9.8 rebounds, while Jason Terry has 17.5 points, and Caron Butler isn’t far behind with 16.5 points. Jason Kidd is still steering the team with 11.8 assists. The Mavericks are off to a great start, but it’s going to take some more convincing of the sportsbooks if they want to boost their betting odds this year.

Maverick’s Off Season Moves Smart, Strategic

This year’s NBA free agency made a big splash, mostly in South Beach. While other teams made high profile moves and Lebron James broadcasted his decision on prime television, the Mavericks acquisitions were expected and relatively quiet.

They managed to keep Dirk Nowitzki at a discounted rate and they re-signed center Brendan Haywood. In typical Maverick fashion, they also traded away Eric Dampier for center Tyson Chandler from the Charlotte Bobcats.

The Mavericks moves also received their fare share of criticism. Everyone expected them to keep Dirk, but many felt Brendan Haywood was overpaid. Their have also been questions about Tyson Chandler’s health status. Despite all this, the Maverick’s free agency was both smart and strategic. Read more

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