For tonight’s final round of group play of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, we are taking the Dallas Mavericks to cover the -3.5 spread against the Houston Rockets. This Rockets team has managed to accrue an 8-6 record, but every single one of their wins has come at home. The Rockets have gone 0-5 on the road to start the year. The storyline for this matchup is that it could be the final game of the in-season tournament for both of these teams. The Rockets still have a chance at the playoffs, needing at least an 18 point victory to overtake the Pelicans for first in their group. The Mavericks are eliminated from contention. However, they have a chance to take the Rockets down with them, and to send the Pelicans through to the playoffs. This normally wouldn’t be a motivating factor for teams to play harder, but given the reputation these two teams have as in-state rivals, it should make for a level playing field. The Mavericks rank top 5 in the NBA in offensive efficiency, whereas the Rockets rank well below the league average. Our wager is a half unit on the Mavericks to cover the -3.5 spread.