Up to NBA Betting Trends

posted January 23, 2008 at 18:57 in NBA Betting Trends

The Los Angeles Lakers (27-12 SU, 22-16 ATS) take another step toward trying to move into the league's elite when they take on the San Antonio Spurs (26-13 SU, 19-20 ATS) in an NBA Western Conference showdown at the AT&T Center in San Antonio. Game time for this ESPN-televised matchup is 9 PM ET.

In the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds, the Spurs are listed at -6, with the total posted at 197 points.

In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:

* SA has won nine of the last 13 meetings SU

* Five of the last seven meetings have gone UNDER the total

* LA has covered four of the last five meetings as the visitor

* SA has won 11 of the last 16 meetings SU as the home team

* Six of the last seven meetings in San Antonio have gone UNDER the total

* LA has had the rebounding edge in six of the last eight meetings

* SA has made more three-point shots in each of the last five meetings

The Lakers are shooting 47.2% on the season, and they average 107.8 points a game, which is third in the league. They rank third in the league in rebounds, with 45.1 per contest. Also:

* LA has covered one of its last five games

* LA has won eight of its last nine games SU

* LA has played four of its last six games UNDER the total

* LA has covered seven of its last ten road games

* LA has won its last five road games SU

* LA has played six of its last nine road gams UNDER the total

San Antonio has barely outshot the opposition this season (45.8%--45.4%). The Spurs are committing just 12.2 turnovers per game and registering 21.8 assists. they hit 7.9 shots from beyond the arc per game as well. Also:

* SA has covered two of its last ten games

* SA has played five of its last six games UNDER the total

* SA has covered one of its last five home games

* SA has won 21 of its last 25 home games SU

Right now the Lakers are playing well, covering just one of their last five but winning eight out of nine straight-up. As an underdog the Lakers are a very solid 9-4 ATS, which puts them in a good position against a San Antonio team that just can't cover the number, whether it's at home or on the road. The Spurs are just 4-12 ATS in their last 16 games, and in their last four games they've averaged a paltry 88 points a game.

That would seem hardly enough to hold off a Laker team that has hit the 100 mark in eight of its last nine, and has done some long-range bombing in Bynum's absence, hitting 21 three-pointers in the last two games. Yet, we worry about the "Kwame Brown factor," as long as the former #1 overall pick has to deal with the likes of Tim Duncan down low.

And you just know that Bruce Bowen will be all over Kobe Bryant like a glove. In two games against an Antonio this season, Kobe has been held to four points below his season average, and has made only one of nine three-pointers. Clearly San Antonio's defensive strategy is to make someone else from the Lakers beat them, and this is where the absence of injured center Andrew Bynum (64% FG's) is going to be felt.

We are wary about laying this many with San Antonio right now, but the matchups are going to favor them here. We take San Antonio, the six-point favorite in the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds.

BetUS NBA betting odds: SAN ANTONIO -6, Total 197

JAY'S PLAY: SAN ANTONIO

You’ll find the latest 2007-2008 NBA odds and lines in the best online sportsbook, BetUS.com. Betting on NBA player and game props makes every aspect of the game exciting. Join BetUS.com today to bet on the NBA and make online sports betting work for you!

(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)