You’ll still be able to bet Mayweather for the big fight this weekend, even though it’s not in Dallas like Manny Pacquaio, and Mavericks fans may have a lot more time to bet on Mayweather-Mosley if their team is knocked out of the playoffs on Thursday night.  Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers are getting one of their big bats back as they aim to get out of the American West basement.

Dallas Mavericks

Like the favorite in Kentucky Derby 2010 odds, Eskendereya, the Mavericks may be in danger of coming up lame.  After splitting the first two games of their first-round series with the Spurs at home, the Mavericks dropped both when the matchup went to San Antonio.  Both losses were close as Game 3 went to the Spurs by a score of 94-90 despite 35 points from Dirk Nowitzki, while Game 4 was a 92-89 loss for the Mavericks, who lost an 11-point lead at halftime.  In Game 5, the Mavericks came out as a desperate team and got a huge game from Caron Butler in a 103-81 whipping of the Spurs at home.  Butler broke out for 35 points and 11 boards, and the Mavericks need another performance like that from Butler if they have any chance of extending the series to a seventh game, which would be back in Dallas.

Texas Rangers

The Rangers were in last place heading into Thursday afternoon’s series finale at home against the White Sox, which ends a seven-game homestand.  The Rangers won four of the first six games of the homestand, and Rich Harden got his first win as a Ranger in a 6-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox, who went with Jake Peavy on the mound.  The Rangers also received some good news as Ian Kinsler is finally ready to make his 2010 season debut after dealing with a high ankle sprain.  The second baseman was second on the team in both homers and RBIs last year, in addition to being an excellent glove in the field, and he’s essential to the Rangers’ MLB odds this year.  Kinsler will be eased back into the lineup, batting fifth or sixth when the Rangers kick off a six-game road trip to Seattle and Oakland.   Matt Harrison will get the ball when the Rangers play at Safeco Field against the Mariners on Friday night, and even though the Rangers are technically in the basement, it’s not time to panic yet as they’re only 1 ½  games behind the first-place Athletics in the American League West.  With a solid road trip against a pair of division rivals, the Rangers can give a boost to their odds if you’re betting online.