Blazers @ Mavericks | Game 2 | TNT

(3) Dallas Mavericks vs. (6) Portland Trailblazers
Season series: Tied 2-2
Most intriguing match-up: Tyson Chandler vs. Marcus Camby
I've been pushing all year the fact that Chandler would be the difference for the Mavs this year, and now we get to see the answer. Both Dallas and Portland were very solid defensive teams this year, and a lot of that had to do with these two players. This match-up really isn't these two guys against one another, it's more each guy against the opposing team's offense. Who can do a better job protecting the paint defensively? One interesting thing to watch will be how Camby handles the inevitable increase in playing time this postseason. In the regular season, we saw Camby playing 26 minutes per game. That number should be up over 30 in the playoffs. I think at this point in their careers, Chandler has a little bit more mobility than Camby, so I'll give him a slight edge.
Intriguing match-up (part 2): Dirk Nowitzki vs. LaMarcus Aldridge
Dirk is the best player in this series, but Aldridge isn't too far behind. He has quietly turned himself into one of the best players in the league ever since Brandon Roy's injury problems have made him the go-to guy in Portland. In this match-up, it'll be interesting to see how these two defend each other, or if they even do. If I had to pick an advantage in one-on-one situations, I'd favor Aldridge on offense against Dirk over Dirk on offense against Aldridge. But still, Dirk will get his. Will the Blazers try to put Gerald Wallace or Nicolas Batum on Dirk at all? They'd both give up a good 4 inches in height, but could be physical with Dirk and get him out of his comfort zone a little bit. Either way, it'll be interesting to see how these two teams go about defending the other's key player.
Players to watch: Andre Miller and Gerald Wallace
Andre Miller is another guy whose minutes will be up from the regular season, and for good reason. He is one of the most underrated playoff performers in recent years. However, he has not played very well against Dallas recently, never reaching double figures in points in four games against them this season. As for Gerald Wallace, we all know how much better Portland is perceived to be since he came over in the trade from Charlotte. And they definitely are. He has really come on strong lately offensively, averaging just over 18 points per game in his last five games of the season. And, of course, his defensive impact is just as important, if not more.
Prediction: Mavericks in 7
After all that, I'm still picking the Mavs in 7. Right when the seeds were locked in, I thought the Mavs were toast. But I think that is one of the reasons they will win the series. They have a serious chip on their shoulders, as everyone is already counting them out. I think this is a series where the home team could potentially win every game. And if it comes down to a Game 7 in Dallas, give me Dirk Nowitzki, who has never lost a Game 7 in his career. I will admit, this is sort of a gut feeling prediction. The Blazers have more match-up advantages, and are overall a better defensive team. However, I'm going to roll with Big D.
Betting aspect: Portland +1.5 games
Like I said, Portland could very well win this series, as many are predicting them to do. The odds on this prop bet are -120, which is shocking when you think about it. This may be my most advised play. I think this series has 7 games written all over it.