This pick was released to clients on August 07, 2012 at 8:52PM ET.
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Dallas at Phoenix

June 3, 2006
img8:30 PM Eastern
Premium Pick
4 units on Game Total OVER 211.5 -110 (risk 4 to return 7.64)
Result:
LOSS

I've had a good feel for some of the games in this series and others, not. These pick'em games have been tough to call a side on. Tonight again I am not really sure who is going to win but I do think a bucketload of points are going to be scored. Dallas could easily win, despite being the road team. They fell asleep two games ago and they got an earful from their coach. They now realize that unless they bring their A game for a whole game, Phoenix can destroy them. They brought their best game in game five and handled the Suns at home. Dirk was on fire and they played inspired. But, Phoenix has shown they can run with anyone and that no lead is safe against them. Back home here, they could win this game. What is for sure, though is that both teams know that it's about offense. Phoenix has always been about run-and-gun. In important elimination games, they revert to what has gotten them here and that is to run and score quickly. Dallas won last game by a large margin despite playing Phoenix's game. The pace was frenetic throughout and in the end Dallas just hit more buckets. I think they both throw defense to the wind here and see who can outscore the other. Dirk will play just as he did last game - taking a lot of high percentage shots - because it worked to the tune of 50 points. Phoenix has no answer for him or Josh Howard. I don't think they try to adjust here and clamp down on them. On the contrary, the Suns know they can't defend them and they will respond by trying to outscore the duo. Over the past two seasons, Phoenix is 13-3 OVER revenging a loss in which they gave up 110+ points. They are 21-11 OVER overall this season following a game where they allowed 110+ points. In games with a total over 200 featuring a road team off a blowout win by 15+ points and a home team that has scored 100+ points in two straight games have gone OVER 75% of the time (45-15) over the past five seasons. In the playoffs Dallas is scoring 103 per game while allowing 103 per game vs. Phoenix. The Suns are scoring 108 per game in the playoffs while allowing 106. This total has already moved from 210 to 211.5 but it hasn't moved enough. This one sails over the total.

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