Posted on
1/9/2008 6:16:21 PM
NBA Basketball Betting – Indiana at Phoenix
By Charles Jay
The Indiana Pacers (16-20 SU, 16-19-1 ATS), losers of seven of their last eight games, continue on their current road trip on Wednesday night as they take on the Phoenix Suns (24-10 SU, 15-18-1 ATS) at the US Airways Center. Tipoff is set for 9 PM ET.
In the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds, the Suns are listed as a nine-point favorite, with the total posted at 226 points.
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA basketball betting trends:
* PHX has covered four of the last five meetings
* PHX has won the last five meetings SU
* PHX has won and covered seven of the last eight meetings as the home team
* Seven of the last ten meetings in Phoenix have gone OVER the total
* PHX has had the shooting edge in each of the last five meetings
The Pacers have surrendered 104 points a game, roughly the same as their opponent on Wednesday night. But Indiana is only 44% from the field and gives up 105.6 points a game on the road, the second-worst figure in the NBA. The Pacers hit 8.2 three-pointers per game and average 7.6 steals a contest. Also:
* IND is 1-8-1 ATS in its last ten games
* IND has lost seven of its last eight games SU
* IND is 0-6 SU & ATS in its last six road games
* IND has played six of its last nine games UNDER the total
* IND has played seven of its last ten road games OVER the total
Phoenix scores 110.1 points a game, which is tops in the NBA. They average 110.4 ppg at home, which ranks second. The Suns are the top shooting team in the NBA, hitting 49.3% of their shots from the field. With 8.6 three-pointers per game (2nd in the circuit), this is indeed a high-powered attack. Also:
* PHX has won five of its last six games SU
* PHX has won five of its last six home games SU
* PHX has played three of its last four games OVER the total
Phoenix has clearly not been at its best against the number at home, covering just two of its last nine and registering a 6-9 ATS record for the season. But there exists serious doubt as to whether the Pacers can exploit that at all.
Indiana has come up way short in its last two road games, losing by 22 points at Utah and 16 points at Los Angeles, not against the Lakers but the Clippers. That Sunday meeting may be a key indicator, since it was the Clips' only home win in their last ten. Jim O'Brien's team has failed to win OR cover the last six away from home.
The Suns got uncorked in their last outing, blowing Denver out with 46 points in the first quarter, 78 in the first half and 137 for the game. Indiana likes to play an up-tempo "pace," if you pardon the pun, but they're not at the octane level of this efficient Phoenix crew. And on the road, they can't stop anybody. There have been problems associated with Jamaal Tinsley off-court antics, and even though Tinsley has just come back to action, he doesn't have nearly enough to keep up with Steve Nash, who's had 24 double-doubles (points, assists) and ten or more assists in nine consecutive games.
We'll lay it with the Suns, the nine-point favorite in the BetUS NBA betting odds.
BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: PHOENIX -9, Total: 226
JAY'S PLAY: INDIANA
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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)