Posted on
4/4/2008 6:35:19 PM
NBA Betting Lines - Minnesota T-Wolves at Phoenix Suns
By Charles Jay
WHO: Minnesota Timberwolves (19-55 SU, 34-39-1 ATS) at Phoenix Suns (50-25 SU, 36-36-3 ATS)
WHERE: US Airways Center in Phoenix
WHEN: Friday, April 4 at 10 PM ET
BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: Phoenix -15, Total 211
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:
* PHX has covered three of the last five meetings
* The home team has covered six of the last seven meetings
* Five of the last seven meetings have gone OVER the total
* Three of the last five meetings in Phoenix have gone OVER the total
* PHX has had the shooting edge in each of the last five meetings
* MINN has had the rebounding edge in each of the last six meetings
* PHX has made more three-pointers in each of the last six meetings
Minnesota has averaged 93.1 points a game on the road. That is 28th in the NBA. The T-Wolves are just a slither below 20 assist per contest (19.9, to be exact) and have turned the ball over 14.2 times per outing. Also:
* MINN has lost four of its last five games SU
* MINN has covered two of its last eight games
* MINN has played five of its last eight games OVER the total
* MINN has lost its last five road games SU
* MINN has lost its last five road games ATS
* MINN has played six of its last eight road games OVER the total
Phoenix is now in second place behind Utah in the league's shooting derby, as the Suns are hitting 50% of their shots. That has translated to 110.4 points a game overall and 112.7 at the U.S. Airways Center. Also:
* PHX has won 10 of its last 13 games SU
* PHX is 9-3-1 ATS in its last 13 games
* PHX has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* PHX has won and covered its last six home games
* PHX has played four of its last five home games OVER the total
Shaquille O'Neal has put up some numbers, averaging almost 17 points and 11 rebounds over his last seven games. That's good enough to give Phoenix the element on muscle he can provide in tandem with Amare Stoudamire. An Stoudamire's game has benefited greatly from Shaq's presence, with a 31-point average in his last dozen contests.
It was going to take a while until O'Neal started to fit in with his new team, but now the Suns have won 10 out of 13 and as they move toward the playoffs (although I guess no playoff berth is guaranteed in the wild, wild West) they are a team that can bang down low with just about anyone.
At least for a little while. Shaq is still sitting for about twenty minutes a game, and averages just 1.2 blocks. He may serve as a deterrent to Al Jefferson on the inside, but only to a limited extent. And Minnesota has not done badly against the Suns, winning twice this season, though Phoenix did chalk up a 20-point win at the U.S. Airways Center in between.
This is a lot of points for Phoenix to lay, though Minnesota has been sliding a bit against the number (dropping six of last eight). We'll take the points with the T-Wolves, the 15-point underdog in the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: MINNESOTA
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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)