Posted on
4/5/2008 4:35:33 PM
NBA Basketball Betting - Washington at Chicago
By Charles Jay
WHO: Washington Wizards (38-37 SU, 42-32-1 ATS) at Chicago Bulls (30-45 SU, 33-42 ATS)
WHERE: United Center in Chicago
WHEN: Saturday, April 5 at 8:30 PM ET
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA basketball betting trends:
* CHI has covered four of the last six meetings
* CHI has won three of the last four meetings SU
* The road team has covered the last three meetings
* The last five meetings have gone UNDER the total
* CHI has had the shooting edge in nine of the last ten meetings
* CHI has had the rebounding edge in four of the last six meetings
* CHI has made more three-pointers in seven of the last eight meetings
Washington has kept its turnovers pretty low (12.7 a game). The Wizards are shooting just 44.5% from the field and allow the most three-pointers of any team in the NBA (89.1 per contest). Also:
* WASH has lost four of its last six games SU
* WASH has covered two of its last six games
* WASH has played its last four games OVER the total
* WASH has won and covered six of its last nine road games SU
(Does not include Friday's results)
Chicago is ranked last in the NBA in shooting (43.2%), where it has basically been the whole year. The Bulls are pulling down 43.3 rebounds per game, and chalk up 7.6 steals per outing. Also:
* CHI has lost seven of its last 11 games SU
* CHI has covered four of its last 11 games
* CHI has played four of its last five games OVER the total
* CHI has played three of his last five home games OVER the total
* CHI has covered one of its last five home games
(Does not include Friday's results)
Washington has done a pretty good job against lower-level teams at home, but they have actually been at their best on the road, where the Wizards have racked up a 23-14-1 ATS mark. Admittedly most of that has been as an underdog, but this Washington club, unlike others who are struggling to stay out of the eighth playoff spot or miss the post-season entirely, is relatively close to the .500 mark in the straight-up category (17-21 SU).
Rebounding is sometimes a problem for Washington, which is more perimeter-oriented. That gets a bit more difficult if Antawn Jamison (shoulder injury) doesn't see action. But Gilbert Arenas has returned, and with each passing game he's going to ring up bigger numbers, and that is not all bad for the Wizards' chances to win.
The Bulls have, in all likelihood, a lame-duck coach, have not recovered from their early-season shooting woes, and can't get much consistency out of anyone but Ben Gordon. Right now it's a matter of who's going to stay and who's going to go for Chicago management, while Washington still has something to play for. And don't expect scoring explosions like Washington permitted in the past week (126 vs. Lakers, 129 vs. Jazz) because Chicago just isn't capable of that.
In the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds, we're going with Washington here, against a Bulls team that has struggled to get to the .500 level (18-19 SU) at the United Center.
JAY'S PLAY: WASHINGTON
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)