Posted on
1/23/2008 6:25:10 PM
NBA Basketball Betting – Indiana at Chicago
By Charles Jay
The Indiana Pacers (19-23 SU, 21-20-1 ATS), who now have to go without one of their star players, travel to the United Center on Wednesday night to take on the Chicago Bulls (16-24 SU, 14-26 ATS) in an NBA Central Division matchup that is set to go at 8:30 PM ET.
In the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds, the Bulls are listed at -3.5, with the total posted at 207 points.
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:
* CHI is 9-4-1 ATS in the last 14 meetings
* CHI has won and covered four of the last six meetings
* CHI is 4-1-1 ATS in the last six meetings as the home team
* CHI has won five of the last six meetings SU as the home team
* IND has made more three-pointers in eight of the last nine meetings
Indiana plays an up-tempo game. The Pacers score 103.8 points a game and give up 105.1. they're shooting 44.5% from the floor but are hitting 8.5 three-pointers per contest. Indiana scores 104.2 points a game on the road, which is sixth in the NBA. Also:
* IND has covered five of its last six games
* IND has won four of its last 14 games SU
* IND has played four of its last six games OVER the total
* IND has covered four of its last six road games
* IND has won two of its last ten road games SU
* IND has played 10 of its last 14 road gams OVER the total
Chicago remains the NBA's least accurate team. The Bulls are shooting only 42.3% and have scored only 98 ppg at home. Chicago is not a team that concentrates on the three-pointer, converting just 5.5 per game. Also:
* CHI has covered three of its last ten games
* CHI has won two of its last six games SU
* CHI has played eight of its last 12 games OVER the total
* CHI has covered one of its last five home games
* CHI has won two of its last six home games SU
* CHI has played six of its last eight home games OVER the total
Indiana has lost center/power forward Jermaine O'Neal for the next two weeks at least, as he has a bruised knee. That's not great news. Troy Murphy, the finesse-oriented center who had a fight with Tyrus Thomas the last time these teams met, is day-to-day with a knee injury. That's not all bad, because Murphy is a defensive liability.
Andres Nocioni and Ben Gordon have been steady performers off the bench for Chicago, but there are some walking wounded for the Bulls. Luol Deng has been bothered with an achilles problem and he scored just 13 points against Memphis. Kirk Hinrich, a victim of back spasms, isn't producing as he would like. Chris Duhon, who is part of the regular guard rotation, is out altogether with a knee injury.
We'd like the Bulls a little better if they showed some strength on their own home court. But they are not doing that, covering two of their last ten at the United Center. It looks like Indiana is going in a more positive direction right now, so we'll take the points with Indiana, the 3.5-point underdog in the BetUS NBA betting odds, in what amounts to a mild recommendation.
BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: CHICAGO -3.5, Total 207
JAY'S PLAY: INDIANA
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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)