NBA betting action is heading towards the halfway point of the season, lets takes a moment to ask five burning questions for the week ahead.

1: Will any of the big names on the trading block be dealt? The basketball trading deadline is looming, and there are some monster names that are reportedly on the block for the right price. Toronto is likely to send F Chris Bosh elsewhere, and rumors are circulating that he could have his bags packed for Los Angeles in an exchange for C Andrew Bynum. Keep an eye on the Suns as well, who may be set to ship F Amare Stoudemire out of town. If either of these names actually moves, it could change the entire landscape of the second half of the NBA betting season.

2: The Lakers continue to be mediocre on the road. Can they make a run? There's clearly something wrong with the defending champs right now, and though it probably won't cost them anything in the long run, HC Phil Jackson has to be concerned about his team's ability to win a game away from the Staples Center. They're just 10-8 SU and 6-12 ATS as visitors this year, and they have five more roadies on tap before coming back home. They've already lost in Cleveland and Toronto on this eight-game span with Washington, Indiana, Philadelphia, Boston, and Memphis still left on the docket.

3: Will G Carmelo Anthony's sprained ankle open the door for someone else in the Northwest? This isn't exactly a season-ending injury that caused Melo to miss out on Monday's game against the Bobcats, but with road games coming up later this week in Houston, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio, things could get dicey if he misses any more time. The Nuggets enter this week holding a comfortable lead on both Portland and Utah in the Northwest Division, but a quick slide can see that lead evaporate quickly in the tightly contested Western Conference.

4: When will the Nets' most recent slide come to an end? New Jersey is now sitting at 3-40 and really could break the all-time record for most losses in an NBA season. In fact, it's on a pace to shatter the record set by the 9-73 Philadelphia 76ers. The Nets have now lost 11 straight games and haven't even really stayed competitive in the majority of those outings. The good news is that the next four are all at home, and the Clippers, Wizards, Sixers, and Pistons are all ripe for an "upset" of sorts should Jersey come to play.

5: The Thunder have slipped a bit in recent weeks. Can they get back in the West’s Top-8 this week? Considering that this team won't leave home again until February 3rd, the answer to that question should be a resounding yes! The Thunder deserves a break even though they are only 6-4 in their L/10 games, because losses at Cleveland, Memphis, and Dallas are nothing to be ashamed of. If F Kevin Durant holds true to his recent scoring form (32.8 PPG L/9), Oklahoma City should be back in the postseason discussions in no time.

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