Up to NBA Betting Trends

posted June 20, 2008 at 16:38 in NBA Betting Trends

BetUS Sportsbook customers who are tuned in to sports betting and have a special interest in the NBA can be sure that BetUS will be on top of things when it comes to NBA Draft betting. And one of those things involves how many players from each of the teams in the national title game - the Memphis Tigers and the Kansas Jayhawks. - will be taken in the first round.

Let's take a look into it:

BetUS - NBA Draft Betting Odds

Total Memphis players drafted - 1st Round

UNDER 2.5 -170

OVER 2.5 +130

Derrick Rose is going to be one of the top two players selected; that much is known. From there it gets a little more uncertain. Swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts, for instance, is expected to go in the bottom part of the first round, perhaps from about #23 on, but there are a number of players who are considered late first or early second-rounders where it just depends on what the individual teams feel best fits their needs. Douglas-Roberts, who comes into this process having played three years of college basketball, is considered something of a polished player; someone with good all-around offensive skills who contributes at the defensive end. He is perhaps not as much of a "projection" as some players might be.

But whether he is taken in the first round might be immaterial. Much of this probably depends on whether Joey Dorsey is going to be taken in the first round anyway. I happen to like Dorsey, because he is a player who you know is going to come into the NBA and be able to assert himself physically. He's in the mold of, say, a Michael Ruffin from the physical perspective, but if you watched him closely you could see his athleticism is there. The problem with Dorsey is that he doesn't really have much of an offense game, which makes him a but risky with that first round guaranteed money. He simply doesn't have any range. And even though he impressed some people at the pre-draft camp in Orlando, he is gong to be considered as a guy who is perfectly slotted as a second-round pick.

JAY'S PLAY: UNDER 2.5 (-170)

BetUS - NBA Draft Betting Odds

Total Kansas players drafted - 1st Round

OVER 2.5 -130

UNDER 2.5 -110

The Jayhawks have two players who should be "no-brainers" to go in the first round: Brandon Rush, who was coming off an injury last year, has superior athletic skills and really put them on display in the NCAA tournament. He is the ideal size for a big guard, at about 6'7" and 210 pounds, and he is considered one of those guys who may be most ready to play right away. I really like the power forward, Darrell Arthur. At 6'10" and about 220-225, he has room to fill out and become stronger, but he is also a pretty versatile offensive player. There is plenty of upside here, and you must consider that as he comes into this process as a sophomore, he was starting for the first time last season. If he is playing against small forwards, he has the ability to post them up and shoot a turnaround jumper. He's a good investment, and a first-rounder.

That leaves us with Mario Chalmers. who comes into this primarily as a point guard but with the ability to play the off-guard position if there is a complementary guard with some size. Chalmers will frankly need to handle the ball better, but his assist-turnover ratio improved greatly last year, to where it was 2.3-to-1. And he shot 47% from three-point range. Best of all, Chalmers is a very accomplished defensive player; a stopper, if you will. And that's going to carry some value for an NBA GM near the bottom of the first round who is looking for someone who doesn't have to be taught how to defend when he comes into the league. Chalmers is going to be a good component off the bench for somebody. He's a keeper.

JAY'S PLAY: OVER 2.5 (-130)

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(Charles Jay of http://www.eBookies.com touches all the bases as a regular contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)