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posted January 4, 2008 at 18:37 in NBA Free Picks

The Houston Rockets (16-17 SU, 14-17-1 ATS), playing without one of their stars, travel to Orlando in an attempt to wrest victory away from the Orlando Magic (22-12 SU, 23-11 ATS) in NBA action at the Amway Arena set to tip off at 7 PM ET.

In the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds, the Magic is listed at -4, with the total posted at 193 points.

In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:

* HOU has covered ten of the last eleven meetings

* HOU has won nine of the last eleven meetings SU

* Four of the last six meetings have gone UNDER the total

* HOU has won and covered the last five meetings as the road team

Houston is still without Tracy McGrady, who has a knee injury. The Rockets are now officially being outshot by their opponents, 43.7%--43.6%. But they do average 44.4 rebounds a game, and surrender 94.1 points per contest. Also:

* HOU has covered five of its last seven games

* HOU has covered four of its last five road games

* HOU has won two of its last seven road games SU

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

Orlando lost another home game, this time to the New Jersey Nets, on Wednesday night. The Magic, which has a 15-5 record on the road, has an even .500 mark (7-7 SU) at the Amway Arena. Orlando makes nine three-pointers a game, second best in the NBA. Also:

* ORL has won and covered two of its last seven home games

* ORL has played four of its last six games OVER the total

* ORL is 7-7 SU & ATS at home this season

These teams played a couple of weeks ago, and the Magic won a five-point road decision with McGrady playing 18 minutes and shooting one for 10 from the field. This time, he's not available, and Houston has won just six of its last 28 games when playing without him. But Orlando is a very iffy proposition at home, where it has won just two of its last seven games straight-up. When you surrender 100.7 points a game in your own building, you are going to have to score a lot of points to make it up. True, Dwight Howard will hassle Yao Ming (19 points, 17 rebounds in previous meeting), but the same works the other way around.

Houston needs to defend well and force a slower pace, and they were able to do that last time out in a covering effort against the league-leading Boston Celtics, going down by only a 97-93 score as an 11-point dog.

We're real nervous about laying points with the Magic at home, and have to recognize the history, which has seen Houston cover ten of the last eleven meetings. We'll grab the points with the Rockets, the four-point underdog in the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds.

BetUS NBA betting odds: ORLANDO -4, Total: 193

JAY’S PLAY: HOUSTON

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)