Dallas Mavericks vs. Miami Heat: NBA Betting Odds and Predictions

The Dallas Mavericks (29-22) and Miami Heat (35-13) will play for just the second time this season after meeting in the 2011 NBA Finals. The game will be nationally televised on TNT from the AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami.

Las Vegas oddsmakers sent out the Heat as 8.5-point home favorites, but that number has fallen by a half point in most spots. The total stands at 189.

Miami hasn't forgotten about missing out on a ring in losing in last year's finals. The team captured a 105-94 win over Dallas as the 4.5-point road favorites on Christmas Day to help open the 2011-12 NBA season.

The Heat jumped out to a 62-41 halftime lead in that affair, and was led by star forward LeBron James with 37 points on 11-of-19 shooting from the field.

James will be focused on ending the team's current two-game losing streak this time around. The Heat have fallen by double-digit margins to both the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers on the road.

Sports bettors will be tempted to back the Heat in this spot due to their 4-1 against-the-spread (ATS) record as a home favorite of 6.5 to 9 points this year.

Dallas has won and covered its last two games, including a 90-81 win over the Houston Rockets as seven-point favorites on Tuesday night.

The Mavericks were unable to match the Heat's intensity in the first go around after the team won its first ever championship, but All-Star forward Dirk Nowitzki has started to round into form.

Nowitzki is averaging 25.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in 15 games this month, which includes a 31-point performance against the Rockets.

From a betting perspective, it's important to note that tonight's visitor has still won 14 of the last 15 regular season meetings in this series.

The defending champions are also a spectacular 13-3-1 ATS in their last 17 trips to Miami.

Pick: Dallas Mavericks +8.5