Posted on
1/30/2008 6:30:20 PM
NBA Basketball Betting – Cleveland at Portland
By Charles Jay
WHO: Cleveland Cavaliers (24-19 SU, 20-23 ATS) at Portland Trail Blazers (26-18 SU & ATS)
WHERE: Rose Garden in Portland, OR
WHEN: Wednesday, January 30 at 9 PM ET
BetUS NBA betting odds: PORTLAND -3, Total 185
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA basketball betting trends:
* CLEV has won and covered five of the last seven meetings
* Seven of the last ten meetings have gone OVER the total
* The home team has covered the last four meetings
* PORT has won and covered seven of the last eight meetings as the home team
* Seven of the last ten meetings in Portland have gone UNDER the total
* CLEV has had the shooting edge in five of the last seven meetings
* PORT has had the rebounding edge in four of the last six meetings
Cleveland is averaging 93.6 points a game on the road, which is 23rd best in the NBA. The Cavs have yielded 46% shooting, and put together 7.8 steals a game. Also:
* CLEV has won 10 of its last 12 games SU
* CLEV has covered five of its last six games
* CLEV has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CLEV has won and covered five of its last six road games
* CLEV has played six of its last eight road games UNDER the total
Portland has averaged 40 rebounds per outing, which is 28th in the league. The Blazers hit 6.9 three-pointers a game, and give up 95.8 ppg overall - 91.4 ppg at home (4th in the NBA). Also:
* PORT has covered 17 of its last 25 games
* PORT has covered one of its last five games
* PORT has won 19 of its last 25 games SU
* PORT has won 13 of its last 14 home games SU
* PORT has covered 11 of its last 14 home games
* PORT has played four of its last five home games UNDER the total
Cleveland seems to have gotten things together, winning six of its last seven games. Road wins at San Antonio and Los Angeles were particularly satisfying for Cavs fans, who have been waiting for their team to make this move. Of course, LeBron James dominates the offense, but one of the other major components of the revival was the play of reserve big man Anderson Varejao, whose spark off the bench helped to spearhead last year's drive to the NBA Finals.
Now, however, Varejao's immediate status is in jeopardy. He's got a sprained ankle and will be out for an undetermined period. Between his loss and the injury to Sasha Pavlovic, Cleveland's depth is compromised.
Portland has cooled down a bit from its torrid streak which saw it rise to the top of the Northwest Division, and the Blazers have covered just one of the last five. But you've got to remember that when Portland went on its extended string, much of its best work was done at home. At the Rose Garden, they've won 13 of 14, and the team allows more than four points less on the home court than their overall average.
Considering that, the number here is very manageable. We'll lay it with Portland, the three-point favorite in the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: PORTLAND
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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)