Posted on
1/2/2008 6:02:52 PM
NBA Basketball Betting – New Jersey at Orlando
By Charles Jay
The New Jersey Nets (14-16 SU, 11-18-1 ATS), who are ticketed for a move to Brooklyn, seem to relish the opportunity to get away from home. They do so on Wednesday night when they take on the Orlando Magic (22-11 SU, 23-10 ATS) in an NBA game at the Amway Arena in Orlando that tips off at 7 PM ET.
In the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds, the Magic is listed at -7, with the total posted at 199 points.
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:
* The last three meetings have gone UNDER the total
* ORL has covered four of the last six meetings
* NJ has won 15 of the last 23 meetings SU
* NJ has covered 18 of the last 24 meetings as the road team
* NJ has covered eight of the last 12 meetings as the road team
* Seven of the last nine meetings in Orlando have gone UNDER the total
* The home team has covered four of the last five meetings
* ORL has had the shooting edge in eight of the last nine meetings
* ORL has had the rebounding edge in five of the last eight meetings
New Jersey is the lowest scoring team in the NBA, averaging 92.4 points a game. The team has not shot well (just 43.4%). The Nets average 11.5 offensive rebounds a game, but have made only 5.4 three-point shots per contest. They are 7-5 on the road, both straight-up and against the spread. Also:
* NJ has covered five of its last 16 games
* NJ has won and covered six of its last nine road games
* NJ has played four of its last five road games UNDER the total
Orlando averages 103.9 points a game on 46.3% shooting. The Magic makes 9.1 three-pointers a game and has registered 6.2 steals per contest. At home, Orlando surrenders 101.1 points a game, which ranks them 23rd in the NBA. Also:
* ORL has won its last four games SU
* ORL has covered three of its last four games
* ORL has won and covered two of its last six home games
We don't know exactly why, but Orlando does not seem to perform at home the way it does on the road (just 7-6 SU & ATS, compared to 15-5 SU, 16-4 ATS away). Conversely, New Jersey has played much better on the road than it does at home (7-5 SU & ATS). The matchups are interesting here - the Nets can put Vince Carter and Jason Kidd out there against what is by comparison a rather pedestrian backcourt duo of Jameer Nelson and Keith Bogans. At the same time, New Jersey is notoriously soft inside (softer without Nenad Kristic available), and has little to halt rebounder extraordinaire Dwight Howard. The matchups worked out a lot better for the Magic last time out, when it scorched the Meadowlands with a 95-70 romp back on November 16, holding New Jersey to less than 30% shooting from the floor. But the Nets were without Carter on that day, and so with a relatively healthy lineup it's time for payback.
We're going to grab the points with New Jersey, the seven-point underdog in the BetUS NBA betting odds.
BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: ORLANDO -7, Total: 199
JAY'S PLAY: NEW JERSEY
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)