Posted on 4/14/2008 1:49:00 PM

NBA Basketball Betting - Miami at Toronto

By Charles Jay

WHO: Miami Heat (14-66 SU, 30-48-1 ATS) at Toronto Raptors (40-40 SU, 40-39 ATS)

WHERE: Air Canada Centre in Toronto

WHEN: Monday, April 14 at 7 PM ET

BetUS Sportsbook NBA betting odds: Toronto -17.5, Total 183

In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:

* TOR has won four of the last five meetings SU

* TOR has covered the last five meetings

* TOR has covered eight of the last ten meetings

* Five of the last six meetings have gone UNDER the total

* MIA has won five of the last eight meetings SU as the road team

* TOR has covered the last four meetings as the home team

* TOR has had the shooting edge in four of the last five meetings

* MIA has had the rebounding edge in six of the last nine meetings

* TOR has made more three-pointers in six of the last nine meetings

Miami has registered 37.7 rebounds a game, which is last in the league. The Heat is allowing opponents to shoot just a fraction below 47% overall. Also:

* MIA has lost nine of its last ten games SU

* MIA has covered three of its last eight games

* MIA has played eight of its last nine games UNDER the total

* MIA has lost its last eight road games SU

* MIA has covered six of its last nine road games

Toronto has an outstanding 2.1 ratio of assists to turnovers. The Raptors are the NBA's best free throw shooting team (81.3%). And they are shooting 46.9% as a team. Also:

* TOR has lost four of its last six games SU

* TOR has covered five of its last 17 games

* TOR has played its last five games UNDER the total

* TOR has won four of its last six home games SU

* TOR has covered four of its last 11 home games

* TOR has played six of its last eight home games UNDER the total

As we have alluded to in recent days, the Heat has a team that is hustling for Pat Riley, trying to ensure an NBA job next year and vowing to stay in Miami in the off-season to work out under the watchful eye of the front-running Miami coach. But the Heat just doesn't have any talent. And of the vets remaining who aren't injured, Ricky Davis is just trying to stay healthy so he can get some free agent dollars elsewhere, and Jason Williams is in a sort of limbo, as Riley wants to get a longer look at Chris Quinn and Blake Ahearn.

Toronto finds itself in a meaningful playoff race with Philadelphia (tied right now at 40-40) for sixth position. The seventh-place finisher will open against Detroit, while the sixth-place team gets beatable Orlando. It makes a difference, so expect some intensity from this Raptor unit. And Toronto has no problem is kicking this Miami team when it is down; on March 19 they held Miami to 54 points, the third-lowest total since the NBA has had the shot clock. Before that, the Raptors scored wins of 25 and 32 points.

So even if Toronto is not exactly on a pointspread roll lately (just 5-12 ATS in last 17), they'll pass on no opportunity to put away this easy "W" with aplomb. Meanwhile, Riley is thinking about whether it's going to be Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose in his starting lineup next season.

Let's lay this huge number with Toronto, the 17.5-point favorite in the BetUS NBA betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: TORONTO

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 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)