Posted on
12/18/2007 3:31:36 PM
NBA Basketball Betting – Toronto at L.A. Clippers
By Charles Jay
The Toronto Raptors (14-11 SU, 16-9 ATS), playing some of their best ball of the season right now, pay a visit to the Staples Center for a Tuesday night NBA game, when they take on the Los Angeles Clippers (9-14 SU & ATS) with tipoff scheduled for 10:30 PM ET.
In the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds, the Raptors are listed at -5.5, with the total posted at 187 points.
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA basketball betting trends:
* TOR has won and covered the last five meetings
* Eight of the last 12 meetings have gone UNDER the total
* TOR has won and covered five of the last six meetings as the visitor
* Five of the last six meetings at the Staples Center have gone UNDER the total
The Raptors stand at 14-11, putting them in second place in the Atlantic Division behind the Boston Celtics. they will likely stay there, because at this moment the Celts are a juggernaut. Toronto has won and covered four games in a row before running into the Boston buzzsaw two days ago, held to 39% shooting in a 90-77 defeat. Chris Bosh, the Raptors' all-star forward, kept rolling though, with 17 points and 13 rebounds. The loss of point guard T.J. Ford could be tough in the long run, however; Ford took a tough fall in a game with Atlanta last week and suffered a head an neck injury. Also:
* TOR has won and covered four of its last five games
* TOR has played four UNDERS in its last five games
* TOR has covered seven of its last nine road games
* TOR is 6-5 SU on the road this season
* TOR shoots 82.4% from the line, second in the league
The Clippers are not playing well. Obviously much of that has to do with injuries. Elton Brand and Shawn Livingston - representing one all-star and another in the making - have not been available to the team from the outset; Sam Cassell currently has a calf injury and is out until further notice, and Tim Thomas, who has the potential to provide scoring in spurts, is listed as day-to-day. Chris Kaman is the only guy keeping them alive, as the center has averages of 18.6 ppg and 13.9 rpg. This team ranks 29th in the league, shooting just 42.2%, and has made just six 3-point shots in the last two games. The Clippers have lost 10 of their last 13 games. Also:
* LAC have covered five of their last 19 games
* LAC have covered four of their last six games
* LAC have played six of their last nine games UNDER the total
* LAC have covered one of their last ten home games
* LAC have lost their last five home games SU
Toronto has won and covered the last five meetings, and Bosh has averaged 20 points in his career against the Clippers. Clearly they haven't had a great answer for him, even with Brand in the lineup. The Clippers covered four straight to open the season; now they are at 9-14 and can't cover a game at home (1-9 ATS last 10), and as Sunday's 21-point loss to the Lakers demonstrated, they can't win as the visitor there either. Jason Kapono is heating up for the Raptors; he had 29 points last Thursday against Indiana and is hitting 54% from beyond the arc. Last year the Raptors won on this floor by a 98-96 count as an eight-point dog; this time the margin will be bigger. lay the points with Toronto, the 5.5-point favorite in the BetUS NBA betting odds.
BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: TORONTO -5.5, Total: 187
JAY'S PLAY: TORONTO
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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)