NBA Betting Preview – Chris Bosh vs. LeBron James

No two players have been raising eyebrows more in recent NBA rumors than Bosh and LeBron. While the world seems more interested in the Summer of 2010 than the 2010 NBA Champions, trade talk has swarmed over the fledgling Toronto Raptors in the wake of a 3-2 SU streak where Bosh has averaged 25.6 points per game. Tonight he’ll face his friend, and fellow free-agent-to-be, LeBron James and Toronto betting fans need to buckle themselves in because this one is going to get bumpy.

In fact, it’s been turbulent for Toronto fans ever since this NBA basketball betting season tipped off. Though aloof about his intentions to stay in Toronto, Bosh has emerged in some hefty rumors including the Lakers, Bulls and now the Oklahoma City Thunder. Any playoff contender would be delighted to have Bosh, but the main issue here is that the Toronto Raptors have suddenly become a playoff contender as well.

Bryan Colangelo has been doing everything under the Tuscan sun to try and save his job, and while the Raptors have gone 10-3 SU in their last 13 games, and 4-2 SU/ATS in their last 6 games away from Canada, he is one GM that has an itchy trigger finger when it comes to signing and dealing players. Recently players like Kevin Martin and Andrew Bynum have surfaced as possible exchanges for Jose Calderon and Chris Bosh, but the truth is that Colangelo has sat on his hands for far too long.

Bosh has as much of a betting man’s chance of staying in Toronto as I do of touching down on the moon’s surface in the next few days. Now Colangelo has mere weeks to figure out what his best trade scenario will be for the big man, who’s averaging 25 and 10 on a defensively inept team. One trading partner he won’t have is Cleveland.

The Cavs have their own troubles, but LeBron’s chances of staying in his home state are still 50-50. There’s been the usual Knicks, Clippers, Heat talk but the more intriguing rumors remain the possibility of Cleveland once again bolstering its roster to make a real run at the championship. Even with the team that they have now, there are very few teams that can stand in their way. Toronto is not one of them.

Toronto Raptors (21-20) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (31-11) >> Join Now to Bet!
Tuesday, January 19th — Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland — 7:00pm EST
NBA Betting Line: Cleveland -10 (202.5)

Though Cleveland is 1-3-1 ATS in their last 5 games and 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games at home, they’re a solid bet against the Raptors. LeBron loves to light up Toronto, which still lacks a premier defender to slow down LBJ. The Cavs have gone 5-1 SU/ATS when playing Toronto. At home, they’re even better going 4-1 ATS and 5-0 SU in their last 5 hostings of the Bosh and his boys.

If the big spread scares you, it shouldn’t. LeBron has a simple way of taking over games like this. I’d say the one x-factor in this matchup is Bosh using a nationally televised game to try and boost his already incredible value. Yet I think that’s negated by a hot Cavs team that is unstoppable in the Eastern Conference. Toronto is infamous for how badly they play defense, while the Cavs will show them what a real top-5 defense looks like.

Furious Free Pick: Cleveland -10 (UNDER)