Posted on
4/3/2008 4:51:46 PM
NBA Basketball Betting Trends LA Clippers at Sacramento
By Charles Jay
WHO: Los Angeles Clippers (23-52 SU, 33-41 ATS) at Sacramento Kings (34-40 SU, 38-34-1 ATS)
WHERE: ARCO Arena in Sacramento
WHEN: Thursday, April 3 at 10 PM ET
BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: Sacramento -10, Total 206.5
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA basketball betting trends:
* LA has won and covered five of the last six meetings
* SAC has won 19 of the last 25 meetings SU
* Six of the last eight meetings have gone UNDER the total
* LA has covered seven of the last ten meetings as the visitor
* SAC has won 17 of the last 19 meetings SU as the home team
* Four of the last six meetings at Sacramento have gone OVER the total
The Clippers are the second-lowest scoring team in the league, at 94.1 points per game. Away from home the numbers increase to 95.1 ppg (21st in the NBA). They are second from the bottom in total rebounds, with 39.9. Also:
* LA has lost 11 of its last 13 games SU
* LA has lost eight of its last nine road games SU
* LA has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* LA has played four of its last five road games OVER the total
Sacramento has yielded 46.6% shooting from the floor. The Kings average 7.8 steals per game, and commit 15.2 turnovers per contest. Also:
* SAC has played four of its last six games OVER the total
* SAC has covered four of its last six home games
* SAC has won five of its last six home games SU
* SAC has played five of its last six home games UNDER the total
Sacramento has managed to win three of its last four games, including a 99-98 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night. But there are a few things converging here that might tip the scale in L.A.'s favor.
One is that the Clippers seem to have established some mastery over this opponent, at least this season. The first two meetings were double-digit wins for the Clips - on December 7 they came to ARCO and pearl-harbored the Kings by a 97-87 count, then they scored a 111-85 victory on January 23 at the Staples Center. last time the two met, the Clippers won a 116-109 double-overtime game.
Granted, for at least the first two the Kings were not as healthy as they are now. But the Clippers, who lost Chris Kaman for the season a couple of days ago, have all of a sudden gotten a lot healthier, as Elton Brand returned to the lineup on Wednesday night to score 19 points in an 18-point win over Seattle. With Brand back on board, the Clippers don't suffer as much by the absence of Kaman because he can combine with surprising rookie Al Thornton to do some work on the inside.
You can't argue that much with Sacramento's shooting in the last two (55% against Seattle, 51% vs. Houston), but the Kings have to overcome this number, and they haven't covered as a double-digit favorite yet this season. And don't discount some possible short-term rejuvenation for L.A. with Brand in the fold - something that might help Mike Dunleavy's cause as well.
We're going to take the points with the Clippers, the ten-point underdog in the BetUS NBA betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: L.A. CLIPPERS
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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)