NBA Betting Analysis Kings @ Nets

BetUS NBA Basketball Betting Odds: NEW JERSEY -4, Total 200

Here are some of the NBA pro basketball sports betting trends as they relate to this matchup:

* SAC has covered two of its last six games

* SAC has lost eight of its last nine games SU

* SAC has played six of its last nine games UNDER the total

* SAC has covered four of its last five road games

* SAC has lost its last ten road games SU

* SAC has played 16 of its last 23 road games OVER the total

* NJ has lost four of its last six games SU

* NJ has played four of its last six games UNDER the total

* NJ has lost four of its last five home games SU

* NJ has covered one of its last five home games

Also....

* SAC has won five of the last seven meetings SU

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

* NJ has won eight of the last 12 meetings SU as the home team

* Four of the last six meetings in East Rutherford have gone OVER the total

* NJ has had the shooting edge in six of the last eight meetings

* SAC has made more three-pointers in five of the last seven meetings

Sacramento suffers from a couple of things, turning the ball over too much (15.1 TO's/game) and not playing defense (105.6 ppg allowed). The Kings were also pulled down by incredibly poor shooting in a three-game stretch, hitting 28% against Boston, 38% against the Clippers and less than 34% against Detroit, before catching fire a little at the Conseco Fieldhouse on Saturday against the Pacers. Sacramento sank 14 three-pointers and shot 47% from the field, but could not hold the Pacers under 50% and sent them to the free throw line 35 times, and that was the difference in the 122-117 Indiana win.

The very encouraging thing about the game was that Kevin Martin, who has just come back from his severe ankle problems, came off the bench to hit 45 points, a season high that was accentuated with seven three-pointers. All told, the Kings had 69 points off the bench. For the time being, it looks like a good formula to have Martin providing instant offense as a sixth man.

"Kevin is in a great rhythm," says interim coach Kenny Natt. "Maybe it's not the best thing to start Kevin right now. We need that punch and energy coming off the bench."

That actually gives Sacramento a little something extra to take into this game against the Nets, who may be going into this game short-handed. Devin Harris was sensational in Friday's game against Atlanta, scoring 26 points, but he pulled a hamstring late, and sat out the next game against Miami. Vince Carter was ejected from a game in Detroit on New Year's Eve when he made inappropriate contact with an official whom he said had called him "boy." Carter's winning shot in overtime beat Atlanta the other night, but he has been rather cold from the field over the last three games, shooting just 27.7% (13 of 47).

Sacramento has won just two road games this season, but has put together a respectable 10-7 spread record. The Nets, despite the win over Atlanta, still haven't impressed many people with their home court play, as they're 6-12, both straight-up and against the number. Interim mentor Natt may find that using Martin with the second unit has tremendous short-term benefits, much like Chicago found with Ben Gordon last season. We feel Sacramento will put together enough offense to turn back a New Jersey team that is playing at home like they're already visiting from Brooklyn, and so we'll grab points with Sacramento, the four-point underdog in the BetUS Sportsbook NBA pro basketball betting odds.

JAY'S PLAY: SACRAMENTO +4 **

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

(Charles Jay makes his share of shots from downtown as a contributor to the BetUS Locker Room)