posted April 21, 2008 at 17:21 EST in NBA Betting Trends

WHAT: Game 2 of Western Conference playoff series

WHO: Utah Jazz (54-28 SU, 46-36 ATS) at Houston Rockets (55-27 SU, 47-33-2 ATS)

WHERE: Toyota Center in Houston

WHEN: Monday, April 21 at 9:30 PM ET

BetUS NBA basketball betting odds: Houston -1, Total 184

In the HEAD-to-HEAD NBA betting trends:

* UTAH has won five of the last six meetings SU

* UTAH has covered eight of the last nine meetings

* Four of the last seven meetings have gone OVER the total

* UTAH has covered five of the last seven meetings as the road team

* UTAH has had the shooting edge in nine of the last ten meetings

* UTAH has had the rebounding edge in five of the last six meetings

* HOU has made more three-pointers in ten of the last eleven meetings

Utah's performance in Game 1, in which Andrei Kirilenko was hard to stop, rambling for 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting, may give us some value here with the Utah side, since maybe the public, and oddsmaker, is banking on a "bounceback" for the home squad. That is the conventional thinking, for sure. But the oddsmakers have also adjusted for this in recent years, to the point where it doesn't present an edge for the team that lost the previous game.

In the last four post-seasons, the "Zig Zag" theory has not produced a profit. The team that lost a playoff game has posted a 136-131-7 ATS record in the next contest. And that record is 66-66-4 in first-round playoff action. So it's basically a 50-50 proposition, which, in case you don't realize it, is no good for you guys.

Utah's second unit was superior in the last game, and that made sense, because the absence of Yao Ming and Rafer Alston (who is also out for this one) cuts into Houston's depth. Kyle Korver came in and hit a couple of threes. Matt Harpring, often banged up, contributed. And consider that Paul Millsap and Carlos Boozer had to sit out more time than they wanted to because they got into foul trouble about midway through the third quarter. Dikembe Mutombo, who had three blocked shots and nine rebounds, just can't play that many minutes. And we doubt Shane Battier, who was a perfect 7-for-7 from the field (including four three-pointers) can do that again.

And really, no one on the Houston side can deal with Deron Williams, who scored 20 points, handed out ten assists, shot 59% from the floor and penetrated at will. He will continually beat Bobby Jackson off the dribble.

The play of rookie Luis Scola is obviously admirable (14 points, 13 assists in Game 1). But there just isn't enough on that bench. And Houston doesn't have enough shooters (37% in the opener). Utah has superior balance. And with the likes of Mehmet Okur manning the center position, there is the distinct possibility that Mutombo is going to be taken out to no man's land.

You would figure that if Houston was going to win a game in this series, this would be the time. But we'll go against that grain here, and move with the Jazz, the one-point underdog in the BetUS NBA playoff betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: UTAH

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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)