NBA Betting Q & A with Handicapper Mike Rose

The NBA betting world heads towards the All-Star Break, and BetUS Sportsbook poses five burning questions for the busy week ahead.

1: Can F Vince Carter continue to boost the Magic closer towards the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference? Ever since HC Stan Van Gundy essentially benched Carter in a win over Detroit on the final day of January, the former North Carolina Tar Heel has been on absolute fire. He scored an average of 19.3 points per game over his previous three games before exploding on Monday night for 48 points in Orlando's 123-117 come-from-behind victory over New Orleans at Amway Arena. The Magic have now gone 8-2 SU and 6-4 ATS in their L/10 NBA betting battles and will need Carter to continue to contribute to keep the pesky Atlanta Hawks in their rear view mirrors.

2: Is the annual Rodeo Road Trip going to continue wearing down the Spurs? Last night's crushing 101-89 defeat in LA was an embarrassing one for San Antonio. The Spurs are now 2-2 SU and 1-3 ATS on their annual road trip because of the rodeo coming to the Alamodome, and there are still four games left to play. Fortunately, only one of those is before the All-Star Break coming Thursday night in Denver. HC Gregg Popovich's club realizes it has to be very careful, because it only sits two-games clear of the Houston Rockets for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

3: How much longer will Cleveland's winning streak last? The Cavs have taken down a whopping 11 straight games and are coasting towards the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference. The next three are all at "The Q," where they haven't been beaten since January 3rd. LeBron and company should have no problems disposing of lowly New Jersey tonight, but after that, tests against the Magic and Nuggets will most certainly be interesting. Still, for a team that’s allowing just 93.9 points per game, the fact that Cleveland has scored at least 102 points in four straight games has to scare the living daylights out of the opposition.

4: Can F Kevin Durant continue to make his MVP push in OKC? Maybe the better question is whether there is a team in the NBA that can stop him! Durant has scored at least 28 points in 15 straight games and hasn't been held under 25 points since December 19th. The Thunder have won five straight overall, and in those five games, the University of Texas star has averaged 33.4 points per game. He was held to his fourth lowest scoring output of the season (16 points) by the Blazers way back on November 1st, and will look to close the first half of the season with his torrid scoring streak intact.

5: How much longer will F Carmelo Anthony be out of the lineup, and can the Nuggets hold off the surging Jazz in the Northwest Division? It's pretty clear that if the answer to the first question is too much longer, the answer to the second will be a resounding no. Melo has missed eight straight Denver games with a banged up ankle, and though the Nuggs are 5-3 SU and 4-3-1 ATS in those eight, they're just not keeping up with the red hot Jazz, who have won eight straight during that same time frame. The All Star is listed as probable to return Tuesday night vs. Dallas, but we’ve seen this before.

Get in on the action now – SIGN UP HERE