Posted on
2/11/2008 4:24:06 PM
NBA Basketball Betting – San Antonio at Toronto
By Charles Jay
WHO: San Antonio Spurs (32-17 SU, 23-26 ATS) at Toronto Raptors (27-22 SU, 28-21 ATS)
WHERE: Air Canada Centre in Toronto
WHEN: Monday, February 11 at 7 PM ET
BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: SAN ANTONIO -1, Total 184
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:
* TOR has covered six of the last nine meetings
* SA has won five of the last six meetings SU
* SA has won four of the last five meetings SU as the visitor
* Four of the last five meetings in Toronto have gone OVER the total
San Antonio is shooting 45.7% from the field and 75.2% from the free throw line. The Spurs are an even .500 (12-12 SU) on the road this season. Also:
* SA has covered six of its last 20 games
* SA has won four of its last five games SU
* SA has played 11 of its last 14 games UNDER the total
* SA has covered four of its last 14 road games
* SA has won four of its last five road games SU
* SA has played 12 of its last 16 road games UNDER the total
Toronto is second in the NBA in shooting from the free throw line (81.3%). And the Raptors generally don't make a lot of unnecessary mistakes, committing 11.2 turnovers a game. Also:
* TOR has won and covered 10 of its last 15 games
* TOR has played five of its last six games OVER the total
* TOR has won and covered six of its last eight home games
* TOR has played six of its last eight home games OVER the total
Injuries figure into the dynamic surrounding this game, as Tony Parker of the Spurs is still sidelined with a heel injury. And last time these two met, Toronto scored an 83-73 win as Manu Ginobili, the NBA's best sixth man, was hurt for San Antonio. His absence manifest itself in a horrid 32% shooting night for Gregg Popvich's team. The Raptors have gotten T.J. Ford back in action, and the Spurs have added former Raptor star Damon Stoudamire to their lineup as a stop-gap while Parker is out.
San Antonio has what may be the best pair of defensive forwards in the league in Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen, so we wouldn't expect Chris Bosh to run wild. Toronto had to play in Minnesota yesterday (scoring a 105-82), but San Antonio battled Boston (and lost 98-90). San Antonio is the worse for wear.
Ford had 13 assists and just one turnover in only 22 minutes in yesterday's game, while Jose Calderon, who had been starting in place of Ford, added 10 assist and just two miscues. The Stoudamire-Jacque Vaughn combo maybe adequate, but they're not a real match.
San Antonio has covered just six of its last 20 games. We're going to go ahead and grab a small number at home with the Raptors, the one-point underdog in the BetUS NBA basektball betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: TORONTO
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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)