Posted on
1/21/2008 5:00:57 PM
NBA Basketball Betting – Chicago at Memphis
By Charles Jay
Martin Luther King Day obviously has a special significance in the city of Memphis, and it is there that the Grizzlies (11-29 SU, 19-21 ATS) will play host to the Chicago Bulls (16-23 SU, 14-25 ATS) in NBA action tipping off at 5:30 PM ET from the FedEx Forum.
In the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds, the Grizzlies are listed at -1, with the total posted at 205 points.
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:
* CHI has won and covered four of the last six meetings
* Nine of the last 12 meetings have gone OVER the total
* MEM has won and covered seven of the last eight meetings as the home team
* Five of the last six meetings in Memphis have gone OVER the total
* CHI has had the shooting edge in four of the last six meetings
* CHI has had the rebounding edge in four of the last six meetings
Chicago is the worst shooting team in the NBA, hitting just 42.4% of its shots. The Bulls do manage to pull down 13.9 offensive rebounds per contest. Chicago is not big on the three-pointer, hitting just 5.4 shots from beyond the arc per game. Also:
* CHI has covered three of its last nine games
* CHI has played eight of its last 11 games OVER the total
* CHI has won and covered four of its last six road games
* CHI has played four of its last five road games OVER the total
Memphis is allowing 105.5 points per game. That's the second highest figure in the NBA, and it comes largely because the Grizzlies allow 47.2% shooting to the opposition, which is also second from the bottom. Memphis hits 8.2 three-pointer per game. Also:
* MEM has lost six of its last seven games SU
* MEM has won and covered three of its last 12 home games
* MEM has played four of its last six home games OVER the total
Some key members of each rotation could be missing for this one. Luol Deng, the Bulls' most consistent player, is questionable with a sore Achilles and Chris Duhon is doubtful with a knee injury, while Memphis' Mike Miller sat out the last game against Charlotte with a sore back.
Even so, we're looking for some scoring. Andres Nocioni has stepped up in his reserve role to average 23 ppg over the last three, and the Bulls have been shooting a lot better lately, hitting 47% or better in three of the last four games. Granted, two of those games were against permissive defenses in Miami and Golden State, but Memphis is in that class. The Grizzlies have yielded 100 points or more in each of their last seven contests, and have hit 43 shots from beyond the arc in the last four. Rudy Gay (19.3 ppg) came back to action the other night after sitting out a game. And Pau Gasol has averaged 27 ppg in his last five.
We'll take a shot with the "over" here. That's over 205 points, as it is posted in the BetUS NBA betting odds.
BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: MEMPHIS -1, Total 205
JAY'S PLAY: OVER 205
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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)