posted April 4, 2008 at 15:53 in NBA Articles
NBA Sportsbook Basketball Betting Miami at Washington
WHO: Miami Heat (13-62 SU, 28-46-1 ATS) at Washington Wizards (38-37 SU, 42-32-1 ATS)
WHERE: Verizon Center in Washington, DC
WHEN: Friday, April 4 at 8 PM
BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: Washington -17, Total 183.5
In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:
* WASH has covered the last five meetings
* MIA has won 19 of the last 23 meetings SU
* Four of the last six meetings have gone UNDER the total
* MIA is 10-1-1 ATS in the last 12 meetings as the road team
* MIA has won nine of the last 11 meetings SU
* Six of the last eight meetings in Washington have gone UNDER the total
Miami has averaged 91.6 points per game. That's last in the NBA. The Heat has posted a 1.4 ratio of assists to turnovers this season. Also:
* MIA has lost its last five games SU
* MIA has covered eight of its last 25 road games
* MIA has played six of its last seven games UNDER the total
* MIA has lost its last six road games SU
* MIA has played five of its last six road games UNDER the total
Washington has averaged 6.8 successful three-point shots per game. That's 1.3 more than Miami. The Wizards have posted a 21-16 SU record at home. Also:
* WASH has lost four of its last six games SU
* WASH has won four of its last six home games SU
* WASH has played its last four games OVER the total
There may actually be a legitimate question as to whether the Miami Heat could beat any of the teams that are in San Antonio for the Final Four. Or at least whether they would any of them by very much. Let's put it this way - an "All-Final Four' team could probably emerge victorious, even at the American Airlines Center. After all, Kevin Love is better than Mark Blount; Derrick Rose, who will be one of the top three draft choices, is a considerable step up from Chris Quinn, current Memphis standout Joey Dorsey is more useful than former Memphis standout Earl Barron, a seven-footer who shoots 39% and has blocked one shot in the last eleven games; Brandon Rush of Kansas or Wayne Ellington of North Carolina might be too much for Daequan Cook to handle, and anyone would be an improvement over "me-player" Ricky Davis.
The point is, sometimes the oddsmaker can't place the number high enough for Miami, which continues to reach new lows as front-running Pat Riley continues to figure out ways to distance himself from the mess he created.
Washington has been pretty strong when laying more than six points at home (10-2 ATS). That means they've got something of a killer instinct against the weaker teams, and Miami, which has AVERAGED 73 points over its last four games, fits that category snugly. Gilbert Arenas scored 17 points in his return to the Wizards' lineup, and he should be a little more comfortable on this go-around.
After losing a tough one-point decision to the hapless Bucks on Wednesday, Washington will take great care that such an embarrassment doesn't happen twice in a row.
We'll lay the points with the Wizards, who are not prohibitive enough a favorite in the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds.
JAY'S PLAY: WASHINGTON
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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)
