Posted on 1/11/2008 12:32:46 PM

NBA Betting - Injury updates: Nash, Shaq, Ray-Ray and T-Mac

By BetUS Staff

Basketball’s a team sport, but with only five players to a team, the NBA betting flow can suddenly change direction with one single injury report. Keep an eye on the health of the following superstars before placing a wager for (or against) their teams.

Steve Nash

Nash had to leave Wednesday’s 129-122 overtime win against the Pacers with the flu. He was taken to a Phoenix hospital, given intravenous fluids, and released. Nash did not travel with the team to Utah for Thursday’s matchup with the Jazz, but is expected to play Saturday when the Suns come back home to face the Milwaukee Bucks.

Grant Hill is already out for the next 2-3 weeks after an emergency appendectomy, so Phoenix was without arguably its two best passers on Thursday. The good news for Suns fans is that Marcus Banks has made it back into the lineup with three straight meaningful appearances off the bench, highlighted by a 23-point effort in 20 minutes against Denver. Any minutes the Suns can get from Banks will be most welcome as Nash fights off the flu.

Shaquille O’Neal

At press time, Miami was the worst team in the East at 8-22 straight up and 14-22 against the spread. The Heat have lost nine in a row; Shaquille O’Neal missed the last seven of those games with soft tissue damage in his left hip. He’s expected to miss at least another week of action.

The Heat need Shaq now more than ever. Alonzo Mourning’s career may be over after a torn patella tendon, leaving Mark Blount in the starting rotation and Earl Barron coming off the bench. O’Neal, despite his diminished profile, is still a very good player with 19.7 points and 11.0 rebounds per 40 minutes. The difference between Shaq and Mourning was manageable. The difference between Shaq (plus-2.6 Roland) and Blount (minus-7.2) is like night and day.

Ray Allen

Allen and Glen Davis both sat out Wednesday’s matchup with the Charlotte Bobcats. Charlotte took advantage with a monumental 95-83 victory as 13.5-point road underdogs. Both Allen and Davis, though, are slated to return for Friday’s battle with New Jersey. The Nets cannot be overlooked after going 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS in their latest comeback from the dead.

How effective Allen will be against New Jersey is cause of some concern. A pinched nerve in his neck has been blamed for the discomfort Allen has felt in his right arm the past few days, which would explain his 9-for-32 shooting performance this month. He’ll probably be better than Tony Allen, who went 1-for-5 in a relief appearance against the Bobcats. But there may be rough seas ahead for the Celtics (already 3-4 ATS in their last seven) until their star sniper is truly healthy again.

Tracy McGrady

The Houston Rockets lost McGrady to a knee injury on Dec. 23. Since then, Houston is 6-2 SU and 7-1 ATS. This might have something to do with rumors about McGrady’s desire to be traded. Attempts to build the Rockets around T-Mac and Yao Ming, attempts that were supposed to vault Houston into the Western elite this season, have yet to pay off after 3 1/2 seasons.

McGrady’s left knee was due to be re-evaluated Thursday to determine his status for Friday’s game against Minnesota. His numbers remain strong in his 11th NBA season: 25.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per 40 minutes. But his return will come at the expense of Luther Head, Rafer Alston and Luis Scola, all of whom have played well in T-Mac’s absence. The NBA odds may not reflect this trade-off once McGrady returns.

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