NBA Odds and Pick Atlanta @ New Jersey

BetOnline NBA Basketball Sports Betting Odds: ATLANTA -4, Total 198.5

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

* ATL has won its last six games SU

* ATL has covered six of its last seven games

* ATL has played 10 of its last 14 games UNDER the total

* ATL has covered six of its last seven road games

* ATL has lost eight of its last 11 road games SU

* ATL has played four of its last five road games UNDER the total

* NJ has lost five of its last seven games SU

* NJ has covered two of its last seven games

* NJ has lost seven of its last eight home games SU

* NJ has covered one of its last eight home games

Also…

* NJ has won and covered seven of the last eight meetings

* The last five meetings have gone OVER the total

* NJ has covered four of the last five meetings as the home team

* NJ has won 13 of the last 14 meetings SU as the home team

* Seven of the last 10 meetings in East Rutherford have gone OVER the total

* ATL has had the rebounding edge in six of the last nine meetings

* NJ has made more three-pointers in six of the last eight meetings

The Hawks have won six games in a row, and in the last four games they have shot 46% or better, which is higher than their season’s average. They’ve had a couple of days rest after going on the road to score a 110-104 win over Indiana on Tuesday. This is an extended run by Atlanta, which has won nine out their last ten games and covered 13 of the last 17.

The Nets have not been sharp lately, and this, in a way, reflects their Jekyll-and-Hyde nature. They have scored 162 points in the last two games, not topping 40% shooting in either game. They were also 40% in the front end of a back-to-back against the Bobcats, losing the home game but coming back to capture the one that was run back in Charlotte the next night. All season long the Nets can’t win at home, going 5-12 straight-up and against the points at the Izod Center.

This would seem to nullify the technical numbers in this series, which have seen New Jersey win 13 of the last 14 against Atlanta as the home team. Obviously you have to consider that most if this took place while the Nets had people like Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson in the lineup, and before the Hawks matured into a playoff-level team. This time around, it’s Atlanta that has the veteran leadership at the point (Mike Bibby) while New Jersey has a shoot-first, pass-later point guard in Devin Harris (23.6 ppg, 6.5 apg).

One fundamental factor that makes this a tough matchup for the Nets is that they are surrendering 41% from beyond the arc and 8.2 three-point shots per game (both worst in the league) and the Hawks rank third in the NBA with 8.3 three-pointers on average. So it’s "bombs away" at the Meadowlands. Eleven of New Jersey’s home losses have been by eight points or more. Let’s lay the points with Atlanta, the four-point favorite in the BetOnline NBA pro basketball sports betting odds.

JAY’S PLAY: ATLANTA -4 ***

(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

(Charles Jay makes his share of shots from the top of the key as a contributor to the BetOnline Locker Room)