Posted on
2/12/2008 1:23:05 PM
NBA Basketball Betting – Portland at Houston
By Charles Jay
WHO: Portland Trail Blazers (28-22 SU, 27-23 ATS) at Houston Rockets (30-20 SU, 25-23-2 ATS)
WHERE: Toyota Center in Houston
WHEN: Monday, February 11 at 8:30 PM ET
BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: HOUSTON -7.5, Total 183
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:
* PORT has covered five of the last seven meetings
* HOU has won 13 of the last 16 meetings SU
* Six of the last seven meetings have gone UNDER the total
* PORT has covered 10 of the last 14 meetings as the visitor
* HOU has won seven of the last eight meetings SU as the home team
* Five of the last six meetings in Houston have gone UNDER the total
* PORT has had the shooting edge in six of the last eight meetings
* HOU has had the rebounding edge in each of the last five meetings
Portland is 8-16 SU on the road this season, and has averaged 94.8 ppg as the visitor. The Blazers average 40.2 rebounds. Also:
* PORT has covered one of its last nine games
* PORT has lost four of its last six games SU
* PORT has played four of its last six games UNDER the total
* PORT has lost four of its last five road games SU
* PORT has played four of its last six road games UNDER the total
Houston is allowing only 93 points a game, and 91.4 ppg at home. The Rockets are second in the league in rebounding at home, with 46.3 per game. Also:
* HOU is 4-1-1 ATS in its last six games
* HOU has won its last six games SU
* HOU has won five of its last six home games SU
* HOU has covered four of its last six home games
* HOU has played four of its last six home games UNDER the total
The two games played between these teams this season have both been bump-and-grind affairs, with Houston winning by scores of 89-80 and 89-79. That's the way the Rockets like to play, as they have the big man in the middle (Yao Ming) who can "change" shots in a half-court setting. Right now Portland is a team that is slumping, having barely gotten the cover against Detroit the other night, but not for that they would have dropped nine in a row to the number. Nate McMillan hopes he hasn't seen the last hot stretch for his Blazers, as for all the good work they have done (at one time winning 14 in a row), they are still two games behind Golden State and this Houston team for the final playoff spot.
Brandon Roy, recently named to play in the NBA All-Star game, sat out the last game to attend a funeral but will be back for this one. He's been the catalyst for Portland's turnaround thus far, but he's getting less help these days. Remember that Houston is the second toughest team in the NBA to shoot against (surrendering 43.6% from the field) and Portland could manage no better than 36% when the two met a couple of weeks ago.
Things run in cycles sometimes in the NBA. Right now it looks as if Portland is going through a rough cycle. We'll lay the points at home with Houston, the 7.5-point favorite in the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: HOUSTON
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(Charles Jay of www.eBookies.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)