Posted on 12/11/2007 4:52:48 PM

Basketball Betting – Minnesota at Washington

By Charles Jay

The Minnesota Timberwolves (3-15 SU, 8-10 ATS), buoyed by their best performance of the season and the possible return of one of their star players, not to mention their coach, hit the road tonight to take on the Washington Wizards (10-10 SU, 12-8 ATS) in an NBA scheduled for 7 PM EST tipoff at the Verizon center in the nation's capital.

In the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds, the Wizards are listed at -8, with the total posted at 196.5 points.

In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA basketball betting trends:

* WASH has covered the last four meetings

* WASH has won four of the last six meetings SU

* MINN has won nine of the last 13 meetings SU

* MINN has covered four of the last six meetings on the road

* Four of the last six meetings have gone OVER the total

* Eight of the last 11 meetings at Wash. have gone OVER the total

The Timberwolves have obviously gone through a period of adjustment after Kevin Garnett's departure, and Al Jefferson (20.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg)) has now become the big man down low. Minnesota played perhaps its best game of the season on Saturday night, clamping down on the Phoenix Suns to come away with a 100-93 win as a ten-point home underdog. Before that they had come from 19 points down to get within a whisker of beating Atlanta at the Phillips Arena, finally dropping a 90-89 decision but covering the number. Coach Randy Wittman, who had surgery to repair a ruptured disk last week, returned to practice on Monday. And guard Randy Foye, last year's standout rookie who has not taken the floor yet in the regular season, may get cleared to play tonight. Also:

* MINN has covered eight of its last 25 games

* MINN has won three of its last 25 games SU

* MINN has covered four of its last five road games

* MINN has lost nine of its last ten road games SU

* MINN has played six of its last eight road games UNDER the total

* MINN scores 93.4 ppg on the road

Washington has been without its star player, Gilbert Arenas, who underwent knee surgery. Another blow was the loss of center Etan Thomas, who did a lot of the dirty work under the boards, but who has heart surgery and is out for the season. The Wizards have learned to play more as a unit in Arenas' absence, as Antawn Jamison (21.4 ppg) and Caron Butler (22.9 ppg) have taken up much of the slack. The Wizards have covered six of seven games as a home favorite and have averaged 104.3 ppg over their last four. Also:

* WASH has covered four of its last five games

* WASH has covered three of its last four home games

* WASH is 6-1 ATS as a home favorite

* WASH ranks ninth in scoring at home, with 103.4 ppg

Certainly Minnesota has had a difficult time keeping pace with a lot of opponents this season, as a -8.3 point differential would attest. But there have been encouraging results lately, especially the solid defensive effort against Phoenix, holding the Suns not only to their lowest point total of the season but also twenty points lower than anything in their last six. In the previous meeting between these teams, Arenas scored 27 points and the Wizards won 105-89 in Minneapolis. The Wolves seek at least some measure of revenge. Foye may be available; if he is, it's a bonus. But with Al Jefferson being bothersome for a weak Wizards defensive front, and Corey Brewer inject some life into Minnesota's defensive efforts, there's no reason the T-Wolves couldn't move within this sizable number. We'll grab the points with Minnesota, the eight-point underdog in the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds.

BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: WASHINGTON -8, Total 196.5

JAY'S PLAY: MINNESOTA

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)