Posted on
1/21/2008 4:12:33 PM
NBA Basketball Betting – Seattle at Houston
By Charles Jay
Seattle's young SuperSonics (9-31 SU, 17-22-1 ATS), currently on a ten-game losing streak, will try to get cruising in the right direction on Monday, when they visit the Toyota Center to play the Houston Rockets (21-19 SU, 20-19-1 ATS) in NBA action tipping off at 2:30 PM ET.
BetUS NBA betting odds, the Rockets are listed at -12, with the total posted at 193 points.
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA basketball betting trends:
* HOU is 6-3-1 ATS in the last ten meetings
* HOU is 9-1 SU in the last ten meetings
* HOU is 3-1-1 ATS in the last five meetings as the home team
* HOU has won the last five meetings SU as the home team
* HOU has had the shooting edge in eight of the last ten meetings
Seattle ranks second in the NBA in rebounding, pulling down 45.4 boards a game. The Sonics allow 105.3 points per contest, which is the third highest total in the NBA. And the Sonics turn the ball over 15.6 times a game. Also:
* SEA is 1-6-1 ATS in its last eight games
* SEA has lost its last 11 games SU
* SEA has played four of its last five games OVER the total
* SEA is 0-4-1 ATS in its last five road games
* SEA has played seven of its last ten road games UNDER the total
Houston has the second best field goal percentage defense in the league, permitting just 43.9% shooting from the field. The Rockets average 7.8 steals a game as well, and are fourth in the NBA, allowing 91.3 ppg on their home floor. Also:
* HOU has covered seven of its last nine games
* HOU has covered 11 of its last 15 games
* HOU has won six of its last eight games SU
* HOU has played four of its last six home games OVER the total
Tracy McGrady has just come back to action for the Rockets, which is both good news and bad news. It seems Houston had found some team chemistry without him, covering 10 out of 14 games and pulling itself above the .500 mark with a five-game winning streak. Whether he can play with Yao Ming is a big question around Houston, and rumor has it that trade options are being explored. McGrady returned with nine points against San Antonio on Saturday, shooting 4-for-12 from the field.
Any lack of chemistry the Rockets may experience with McGrady back won't likely have its effect here, however. Seattle is in a definite downer, with no wins and only two covers in its last eleven games. Seven of the last nine losses on this current streak have been by double digits, so clearly opponents are having success putting plenty of distance between themselves and this young Sonic crew that often throws up bricks and has a lot of problems in the area of help defense. In this game, Yao takes away the inside and Houston, which allows just under 44% shooting, guards the perimeter against the likes of free-wheeling rookie Kevin Durant (40% shooter).
Seattle is now 7-14-1 ATS away from home, and they probably can't wait to get back there as they conclude a four-game road trip that has been a real pain in the neck for them.
We'll keep a close eye on Houston's progress with McGrady. Here, we'll lay the points with the Rockets, the 12-point favorite in the BetUS NBA betting odds.
BetUS NBA betting odds: HOUSTON -12, Total 193
JAY'S PLAY: HOUSTON
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(Charles Jay of TotalActionExtra.com is a freelance writer and handicapper who not only can make his shots from the top of the key, but also contributes with gusto to the BetUS Locker Room)