Posted on 4/14/2008 2:02:14 PM

NBA Basketball Sports Betting - Cleveland at Philadelphia

By Charles Jay

WHO: Cleveland Cavaliers (44-36 SU, 36-43 ATS) at Philadelphia 76ers (40-40 SU, 43-36-1 ATS)

WHERE: Wachovia Center in Philadelphia

WHEN: Monday, April 14 at 7 PM ET

In a BetUS NBA betting matchup, the Cleveland Cavs will have their hands full on Monday when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers, who are still battling for playoff position in the East.

In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA basketball betting trends:

* PHIL has covered four of the last five meetings

* CLEV has won three of the last four meetings SU

* Eight of the last ten meetings have gone OVER the total

* CLEV has won three of the last four meetings SU as the road team

* CLEV has had the rebounding edge in nine of the last ten meetings

* CLEV has made more three-pointers in nine of the last ten meetings

Cleveland is 28th in the NBA in field goal percentage, with 44% success. The Cavs are not much better from the line, making 71.8% to rank 28th in the league as well. Also:

* CLEV has lost six of its last ten games SU

* CLEV has covered two of its last ten games

* CLEV has played 10 of its last 14 games UNDER the total

* CLEV has lost seven of its last eight road games SU

* CLEV has covered two of its last eight road games

Philadelphia averages 8.6 steals a game. The Sixers are shooting 45.9% from the field, and allowing opponents to shoot an even 46%. Also:

* PHIL has lost three of its last four games SU

* PHIL has covered six of its last ten games

* PHIL has played nine of its last 14 games OVER the total

* PHIL has won five of its last eight home games SU

* PHIL has covered two of its last seven home games

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

Here is a situation where, in the second of back-to-back games, Cleveland coach Mike Brown has to make a determination as to how extensively to use LeBron James. The Cavs have the inside track to the #4 playoff spot with a couple of games to go, and James, whose back has been bothering him, could use some rest as the Cavs go into the post-season.

Philadelphia, however, might be a bit of a different story. The Sixers come into this one with the opportunity to overtake Toronto for sixth place in the East, which would put them into the position of playing Orlando in the first round, a decidedly more manageable task than playing against Detroit. And Philly has not done badly in its two meetings with Cleveland, covering both and winning at the Quicken Loans Arena on December 15, which was before Maurice Cheeks' team started on its roll which propelled the team into the playoffs.

Neither team is much to write home about when stepping to the charity stripe; Cleveland ranks 28th while Philadelphia is dead last. And the Sixers do not make the three-pointer a part of their repertoire (just 3.6 per game). But the technical figures would seem to favor the Sixers, as Cleveland has just two covers and one straight-up win in its last eight road contests.

We'll lean toward the home team - the Seventy-Sixers - in the BetUS NBA betting odds.

JAY'S PREDICTION: PHILADELPHIA BY 9

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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)