Posted on 4/8/2008 7:09:57 PM

NBA Basketball Betting - L.A. Lakers at Portland Blazers

By Charles Jay

WHO: Los Angeles Lakers (53-24 SU, 43-32-1 ATS) at Portland TrailBlazers (38-39 SU, 38-37 ATS)

WHERE: Rose Garden, Portland, OR

WHEN: Tuesday, April 8 at 10 PM ET

BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: Lakers -8.5, Total 202.5

In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:

* PORT has covered the last eight meetings

* LA has won three of the last four meetings SU

* Three of the last five meetings have gone OVER the total

* PORT is 4-0-1 ATS in the last five meetings as the home team

* PORT has won the last five meetings SU as the home team

* Seven of the last 10 meetings in Portland have gone OVER the total

* LA has had the shooting edge in three of the last four meetings

* PORT has made more three-pointers in three of the last four meetings

Los Angeles has been the NBA's third-best shooting team, hitting 47.6% of its field goal attempts. The Lakers are averaging 24.5 assists a game, and are hitting 77% from the free throw line. Also:

* LA has covered one of its last six games

* LA has won four of its last five games SU

* LA has won and covered four of its last five road games

* LA has played five of its last seven road games UNDER the total

Portland is not a big threat to steal the ball, averaging only 5.5 thefts per game. The Blazers have chalked up 11 offensive rebounds per game, and 44.6 rebounds overall. Also:

* PORT has lost its last five games SU

* PORT has covered four of its last 18 home games

* PORT has lost four of its last six home games SU

* PORT has played four of its last six home games UNDER the total

You just can not ignore the Blazers' dominance of this series, from a pointspread standpoint, anyway. Portland has notched eight straight covers against the Lakers, so obviously there is a conscious effort to get up in an extra special way for this opponent, even before the team had a bit of a renaissance this year.

But Nate McMillan's crew, losers of their last five, have hit the ground with a thud on offense, averaging only 84 points over that period. And the only reason they covered against the Lakers six days ago was that they were getting so many points (14). Otherwise these have been very poor efforts, especially the other night in San Antonio, when they shot just 34% from the field and managing only 65 points. Now Martell Webster has an irregular heartbeat, Brandon Roy has been dealing with a nagging hip and groin problems, and Joel Przybilla broke his hand, which has forced McMillan to do something he wanted to avoid, which was to play Raef LaFrentz at center.

The Lakers, who now have Pau Gasol back in the lineup (45 points in last two games), are still a very solid road team, winning and covering their last five in that role. They have also been able to put together some offense (114 ppg in last four), which at this moment sets them apart from their Portland counterparts. Lamar Odom seems to be enjoying having another scoring threat besides Kobe Bryant around him, as he's shot 19-for-22 with 12 assists in his last two outings.

Yes, we will buck the series trend and go with the Lakers, the 8.5-point road favorite in the BetUS NBA betting odds, in Tuesday night's action.

JAY'S PLAY: L.A. LAKERS

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(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.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)