Posted on
1/2/2008 5:31:47 PM
NBA Basketball Betting – Houston at Boston
By Charles Jay
The Boston Celtics (26-3 SU, 20-8-1 ATS) are red hot. And they will try to continue to be hot against the guys in red, as the Houston Rockets (15-16 SU, 13-17-1 ATS) pay a visit to the TD Banknorth Garden. Scheduled tipoff is 7:30 PM ET.
In the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds, the Celtics are listed at -10.5, with the total posted at 180.5 points.
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA basketball betting trends:
* HOU has covered 12 of the last 17 meetings
* HOU has won nine of the last 13 meetings SU
* Six of the last seven meetings have gone UNDER the total
* The road team has covered seven of the last nine meetings
* HOU has won and covered five of the last six meetings as the visiting team
* BOS has had the shooting edge in four of the last six meetings
* HOU has had the rebounding edge in six of the last eight meetings
Houston has yielded just 43.4% shooting from the field, which is third in the league. The Rockets have averaged 12.6 offensive rebounds per game, and have registered 7.8 steals per contest. Also:
* HOU has covered eight of its last 24 road games
* HOU has won two of its last six road games SU
* HOU is 8-10 ATS on the road this season
* HOU Is 5-3 ATS as an underdog this season
Boston has the best record in the NBA, at 26-3. The Celtics have allowed just 86.8 points per game and 41.4% shooting. Both of those figures are the best in the league. The Celts are also third in the league in field goal percentage (47.3%). And they have held their opponents to the least number of rebounds per game (37.8). Certainly, the "Big Three" of Kevin Garnett (18.8 ppg), Paul Pierce (21.6 ppg) and Ray Allen (19.1 ppg) has been working out for them. Also:
* BOS has covered five of its last six games
* BOS has played five of its last six games OVER the total
* BOS is 14-1 SU at home this season
* BOS has covered 11 of its 15 home games this season
* BOS has played seven of its last 10 home games UNDER the total
Rick Adelman has said that he wanted his team to be less dependent on Tracy McGrady. Well, now he has his wish. McGrady could be out for as much as three weeks with a knee injury. In this latest stretch without him, the Rockets scored double-digit wins over Memphis and Toronto, then was blown out by 17 points by Golden State. So how will the "non-McGrady" strategy work against a Boston team that has covered 20 of 29 games and allows a minuscule 82 ppg at home?
Rajon Rondo is listed at day-to-day, but if he is going to be available here, he may even give the Celtics an advantage at the point guard position. Rondo, who sat out the last game with a sore hamstring, is shooting 52% with a 3.4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Yes, we certainly respect the presence of Yao Ming, but Boston will give plenty of help to center Kendrick Perkins, including Garnett, an NBA All-Defensive team member.
On top of all that, there is the revenge factor, at least for those Celtics who are still around from last year. Houston came to this building last March and scored a 111-80 win that was humiliating in that Boston shot just 36% and surrendered fifteen 3-pointers (McGrady had 25 points in that one).
If Houston can't get hot from the floor, we're looking at a runaway. They won't, and we are. Lay the points with Boston, the 10.5-point favorite in the BetUS NBA betting odds.
BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: BOSTON -10.5, Total: 180.5
JAY'S PLAY: BOSTON
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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)