posted January 3, 2008 at 16:49 EST in NBA Articles

The Portland Trail Blazers (19-13 SU, 20-12 ATS) are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now. On Thursday night they'll pay a visit to one of the teams that hopes to be heading in that direction, the Chicago Bulls (12-18 SU, 11-19 ATS) in NBA action slated to begin at 8 PM ET at the United Center in Chicago.

In the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds, the Bulls are listed at -3, with the over/under posted at 187 points.

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

* CHI has covered five of the last seven meetings

* CHI has won five of the last six meetings SU

* CHI has won and covered four of the last five meetings as the home team

* CHI has held the rebounding edge in each of the last four meetings

* Three of the last five meetings have gone UNDER the total

Portland is now 4-10 SU on the road after its 90-79 win last night in Minnesota. The Blazers are shooting 46.1% as a team, and 75.3% from the free throw line. Their winning streak was broken a few days ago in Utah, but they have won 14 of their last 15 games, and have to rank as the most surprising teams in the NBA, especially in light of the fact that they have played the whole season without potentially dominant center Greg Oden, the #1 choice in the last NBA Draft. Also:

* PORT has covered 13 of its last 15 games

* PORT has won 14 of its last 15 games SU

* PORT has covered five of its last seven road games

* PORT has played seven of 14 road games OVER the total

The Bulls have shot 41.9% from the field. In the last four games - not coincidentally the four games Jim Boylan has been the new head coach - Chicago has scored at least 100 points. For the season, the Bulls are averaging 96.4 points per game at home. They have also averaged 13.8 offensive rebounds per contest. Also:

* CHI has covered three of its last four games

* CHI has covered one of its last five home games

* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total

* CHI has played five of its last six home games OVER the total

The Bulls were behind by 12 points at one point in the second half last night but ran away with the 109-97 win over Charlotte. Ben Gordon has now scored 29 points a game since Boylan decided he was going to come off the bench. At the very least, it is a psychological boost. Now that it looks like the team is moving in a positive direction, it can make a statement with a win over Portland.

But the Blazers aren't coming in to roll over. Portland shot only 39% but committed just four turnovers in its win at Minnesota. The Blazers have done a good job taking care of the ball all season, and Brandon Roy has obviously been a constant. He had 24 points last night, and even though his team has registered just four straight-up wins on the road this season, it has covered five of seven playing in the second end of back-to-back games. Meanwhile, Chicago is just 1-6 ATS in that situation.

We respect the new life Chicago has shown under Boylan. And the 17 points and six rebounds rookie Joakim Noah chalked up last night is very encouraging. But here, we'll side with the team that has showed it plays better without rest, and has covered 13 of its last 15 games. And that's Portland, the three-point underdog in the BetUS NBA basketball betting odds.

BetUS NBA betting odds: CHICAGO -3, Total: 187

JAY'S PLAY: PORTLAND

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(Charles Jay of TotalActionExtra.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)