Posted on 4/1/2008 4:05:02 PM

NBA Basketball Betting - No April Fool - Heat Making Money

By BetUS Staff

It isn’t every day that NBA betting gives you the opportunity to put your money down on a bunch of D-Leaguers.

That’s almost all that’s left of the Miami Heat these days. Shaquille O’Neal is in Phoenix. The two players Miami received in return, Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, have both been injured for extended periods. So has Dwyane Wade, who is out for the season – as are Udonis Haslem and Dorrell Wright. Jason Williams is still on the bench with a thumb injury. Any more casualties, and the Heat will qualify for federal relief.

Now you really can’t tell the players without a program. In the starting lineup for the Heat on Monday night versus the Indiana Pacers: forward Kasib Powell, most recently with the Sioux Falls Skyforce. Joining him in the parade from the D-League to Miami are Daequan Cook (Iowa Energy), Joel Anthony (Iowa) and Blake Ahearn (Dakota Wizards). Miami also has Alexander Johnson, who spent a couple of weeks in 2007 with the currently inactive Arkansas RimRockers franchise.

Stephane Lasme rounds out the Miami scrub squad after signing a 10-day contract on Mar. 21. It’s exactly the kind of team you’d put together if you wanted to tank the season – which the Heat have been accused of doing after taking Wade out of the lineup on Mar. 10 and going 2-9 straight up. Miami was indeed last in the league at press time at 13-60 SU and a league-worst 29-43-1 against the spread.

But the Heat must be doing something right – or at least not as poorly as the betting public expects. Miami is 9-4 ATS in its last 13 games dating back to May 8. Part of the reason is that the point spreads are reaching preposterous levels: 22.5 points from the Boston Celtics on Sunday and 20.5 points from the Detroit Pistons three days earlier. The Heat got creamed in both games, but covered against Detroit.

The patchwork Heat are holding up their end of the bargain by not completely mailing it in. Cook has been the best of the D-Leaguers, having already spent most of the season with the big club. His 11.5 points per game in March was third among the regulars, behind only Ricky Davis (15.4) and Williams (13.7). It’s not a winning combination by any means, but the cash spends the same.

Miami’s first game in April is Wednesday against the visiting New Orleans Hornets. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time on SUN NET. Check the latest NBA odds for more.

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!