Posted on 1/18/2008 11:51:46 AM

NBA Basketball Betting – The NBA Eastern Conference

By Charles Jay

When trying to evaluating teams for NBA betting purposes (at BetUS Sportsbook, naturally), you obviously look at pointspread records, betting trends, and how the star players on the respective teams are performing. But sometimes it's necessary to look below the leading scorer or rebounder on a team to decipher why it may be doing well, or, in the case of some teams, why it isn't doing worse. The players listed below are well worth following, because their absence (or presence) can make a big difference in their team's performance against the number. No real headline grabbers here, but they are most definitely not interchangeable parts either:

DAVID LEE, New York -- Yes, there is an unsung player on the New York Knicks. Lee comes off the bench to provide "instant rebounding," which is always important for the second unit. He is averaging 7.9 boards per game in under 27 minutes. He also chips in with 9.4 ppg on 52% shooting. On any NBA team, somebody has to do the dirty work. In this way Lee stands out on a club that features too many "me first" prima donnas. One has to wonder what Lee could mean to a good team that could be one role player away from a title.

ANDRES NOCIONI, Chicago -- On one of the NBA's more anemic offensive teams, Nocioni is the guy who joins Ben Gordon on the second unit and provides scoring. His season averages are not awe-inspiring (13.9 ppg, 4.8 rpg) but consider that he does it in less than 25 minutes a game. Nocioni has been in double digits in 25 of the 37 games he's played this season, and more importantly, he adds a lot of energy whenever he gets into the game. In fact, many insiders feel he is the team's best all-around player. On Tuesday night, he took a nasty fall in Orlando, was listed as questionable with a bruised hip the next night in Miami, then came off the bench and lit up the Heat for 20 points in a 30-point Bulls win.

SEAN WILLIAMS, New Jersey -- What? You mean a rookie who doesn't score much, and with a history of attitude problems in college to boot, is on the "unsung" list? Yes, because of what Williams means to this team and its chances to advance in the playoffs. And to its chances in anhy particualr game against teams with some up-front strength. True, the offensive talent really isn't there yet. But take a look at the Nets' stats: Williams has played the sixth most minutes on the team, with 644. He's got 63 blocked shots (two per game). The rest of the team has 109. The next guy on the list (fellow rookie Josh Boone) has 17. No starter had more than 13, until Williams and Boone were inserted into the lineup. Williams, who averages 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds, is the only intimidating front court presence the Nets have. They better hope he doesn't go down with an injury.

HEDO TURKOGLU, Orlando -- It's pronounced Turk-o-lou (I think), but he is the Turk-o-GLUE that helps hold the Magic together. You will notice that in the games where he's been struggling (which has been lately), Orlando also struggles. Dwight Howard gets the big rebounds and the big publicity, Rashard Lewis has the big contract, but a lot of the big contributions are made by the 6'10" forward who has had to step into more of a power role on this team, which has no true complement for Howard per se and a smallish backcourt. Turkoglu is averaging 6.1 rebounds a game, which is two more than his career average. He chips in 4.2 assists, also two more than his career average. And he's 83% from the free throw line. Turkoglu has been kept out of double figures only twice on the season. The Magic lost both games.

JOSE CALDERON, Toronto -- Introducing our captain! Calderon averages just 11.9 points a game for the Raptors, but show me another guy who can shoot 51% from the field, 91% from the line, 43% from beyond the arc, with a 6-to-1 turnover ratio, and has time for 39 steals to boot? His presence is so critical to the Toronto fortunes because of the loss of the on-court leadership of TJ Ford. Calderon fills that vacuum very nicely, and then some. If they lose him, they've got trouble.

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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)