Posted on
1/16/2008 6:22:00 PM
NBA Wagering Feature – Can Celtics End Losing Streak Against Blazers?
By Eric Williams
WHO: Portland Trail Blazers (23-14 SU, 24-13 ATS) at Boston Celtics (30-6 SU, 22-13-1 ATS)
WHERE: TD Banknorth Garden in Boston
WHEN: Wednesday, January 16 at 7:30 PM ET
BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: BOSTON -8, Total: 179
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA basketball betting trends:
* BOS has covered the last five meetings
* BOS has won five of the last six meetings SU
* Fifteen of the last 23 meetings have gone OVER the total
* Four of the last five meetings in Boston have gone OVER the total
* BOS has had the shooting edge in five of the last six meetings
* BOS has had the rebounding edge in four of the last six meetings
Portland is averaging 95.6 points a game on the road, which puts it in about the middle of the NBA pack. The Blazers allow 44.2% shooting on the part of their opponents and commit just 13.1 turnovers a contest. Also:
* PORT has won 18 of its last 20 games SU
* PORT has covered 17 of its last 20 games
* PORT has played four of its last six games UNDER the total
* PORT has won and covered six of its last eight road games
* PORT has played four of its last six road games UNDER the total
Boston has the best record in the NBA. And some of the reasons are clear - the Celtics are the NBA's toughest team to shoot against (allowing 41.3% FG's) and score on (87.1 ppg permitted). They also do a great job defending their own goal on second shots, permitting only 38.6 rebounds per game by the opposition, which puts them at a +2.9 margin for the season. Also:
* BOS has covered two of its last seven games
* BOS has won 19 of its last 23 games SU
* BOS has played five straight games UNDER the total
* BOS has covered one of its last five home games
* BOS has played four of its last six home games OVER the total
This may be the most intriguing game of the year - the upstart Blazers against the veteran, star-laden Celtics. The old guard (Ray Allen) against the new guard (Brandon Roy). Boston is the best in the NBA right now at 30-6, but the Celts have lost two games in a row and covered the number in just one of their last five home games. Is this the point in the season where the little hurts that come with playing day-in and day-out take their toll on people like Allen and Paul Pierce? Sooner or later this team was going to find itself in a lull, and maybe this is it.
Meanwhile, Portland has won 18 of its last 20 games, getting the money in 17 of them! You can't say they haven't been tested, either. In the Blazers' last outing, they held New Jersey to 77 points and no Nets starter had more than 10. And Portland can go a pretty strong ten deep, which is something the Celtics can't do. This is a team that is mentally tough enough to make this a game for all 48 minutes.
We'll take the points with the Blazers, the eight-point underdog in the BetUS NBA betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: PORTLAND
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)