Posted on
1/23/2008 3:35:58 PM
NBA Basketball Betting – Detroit at Philadelphia
By Charles Jay
The Detroit Pistons (29-13 SU, 25-16-1 ATS) try to get out of a pointspread lull tonight as they visit the Wachovia Center on Wednesday to play the Philadelphia 76ers (16-26 SU, 19-22-1 ATS) in NBA betting action set to tip off at 7 PM ET.
In the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds, the Pistons are listed as a 7.5-point road favorite, with the total posted at 186.5 points.
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:
* DET has covered four of the last six meetings
* DET has won nine of the last 10 meetings SU
* DET has won the last five meetings as the visiting team
* DET has had the shooting edge in four of the last five meetings
* PHIL has had the rebounding edge in each of the last five meetings
* DET has made more three-pointers in seven of the last eight meetings
Detroit is allowing 90.4 points a game. The Pistons hold teams to 44.1% shooting, but that figure has gone up recently. They also have limited opposing teams to 5.1 three-pointers per contest. That is the second best figure in the NBA. Also:
* DET is 15-7-1 ATS in its last 23 games
* DET has covered one of its last six games
* DET has lost four of its last five games SU
* DET has covered one of its last six road games
* DET has won 11 of its last 16 road games SU
* DET has played four of its last six road games UNDER the total
Philadelphia surrenders 46.3% shooting to opponents. The Sixers are last in the league with just 3.8 three-pointers per game. They are 28th in the NBA with 71.2% at the free throw line. And they turn the ball over 15 times a game. Also:
* PHIL has covered seven of its last ten games
* PHIL has won two of its last 11 games SU
* PHIL has played six of its last seven games OVER the total
* PHIL has covered two of its last eight home games
* PHIL has won two of its last seven home games SU
* PHIL has played nine of its last 11 home games OVER the total
All of a sudden the Pistons can't cover pointspreads. And even though the last outing in Orlando was not a horrible one, Detroit has simply not been playing very well lately, losing games to the Kings, Bulls and Knicks, in addition to the Magic, over the last 10 days.
The Pistons' shooting has been substandard, to say the least. They shot 31% against New York, less than 43% against Sacramento, less than 41% against Chicago, and less than 44% against Orlando. This team does occasionally go into shooting slumps, and it looks like this is one of them.
At least the Sixers got something encouraging out of their 110-103 loss to Indiana on Monday - 43 points off the bench. But Indiana just shot lights out, with 52% from the field, including 14 three-pointers.
Yes, there are some defensive holes in this Sixer team, but still wouldn't lay this many points on the road with Detroit, not the way they've been playing. And they might just be looking ahead to the quick rematch with the Magic that is set for Friday night.
We'll make a small recommendation on grabbing the points with the Philadelphia 76ers, the 7.5-point underdog in the BetUS NBA betting odds.
BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: DETROIT -7.5, Total: 186.5
JAY'S PLAY: PHILADELPHIA
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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)