First Half Review
By Kevin Rogers
VegasInsider.com
The NBA first half is in the books thanks to a frantic two-month run of games following the lockout. Even though it took teams a while to get their legs underneath them, the cream has risen to the top in each conference. From a betting perspective, several trends are coming to light on which clubs are worth wagering on and which ones to stay away from moving forward.
The Good
Chicago
The Bulls are cashing at a 60% rate (21-14 ATS) this season, while owning the second-best record in the Eastern Conference behind the Heat. Chicago finished the first half by covering seven of its final 10 games, including consecutive covers as double-digit favorites over the Hawks and Bucks.
Tom Thibodeau's squad has compiled a 13-7 ATS record away from the United Center, while going 6-3 ATS on their most recent road swing. Following Tuesday's home contest against the Hornets, the Bulls hit the highway for three games, starting with a trip to San Antonio on Wednesday. Chicago plays 14 opponents that are unrested, including a stretch of seven straight games from March 17 through March 28.
The Texas Teams
The Spurs, Mavericks, and Rockets have each cashed 20 of their first 34 games, tops in the Western Conference. San Antonio is the hottest team in the league with wins in 12 of its last 13 games to conclude the first half, while compiling a 10-2-1 ATS record in this hot stretch. The Spurs return home from an 8-1 record on their "Rodeo Road Trip" for seven games starting Wednesday against the Bulls.
Dallas began the season at 1-4 SU and 2-3 ATS, but the Mavericks overcame the slow start with a 20-9 SU and 18-11 ATS mark. The Mavs put together a 6-1 ATS record as a road underdog, including outright wins at Boston, Denver, and Philadelphia.
Houston is rolling with an 18-9 ATS record since January 7, including a 10-6 ATS ledger at the Toyota Center in this stretch. The Rockets sit in third place inside the Southwest Division at 20-14, while beating the Spurs and Blazers twice each, Thunder, and Nuggets. Houston has turned into one of the top 'under' teams at 22-12, including a 12-6 'under' mark at home.
The Bad
Southeast Division Cellar
The Bobcats and Wizards are young teams with nowhere to go but up. However, both Charlotte and Washington have a long way to go as the two squads are a combined 11-54 SU and 21-44 ATS.
Charlotte endured a 16-game losing streak in the first half, while winning just four games so far this season. Since beating Golden State as a home underdog on January 14, the Bobcats have failed to break the 100-point mark in each of the last 17 games. Charlotte is the lowest-scoring team in the league by averaging 86.5 points per game, while going 1-6 ATS the last seven contests as a single-digit 'dog.
The Wizards started the season at 1-12, but pulled off the two biggest upsets of the campaign with outright 'dog victories over Oklahoma City (+11) and Portland (+15). Washington has covered only four times in 26 losses, meaning if you think this Wizards team is going to lose, just fade them and make money. This club doesn't play any defense, allowing more than 100 points in 11 of the previous 12 contests.
Updated Futures
Very little has changed at the top with the Heat (6/5), Bulls (5/1), and Thunder (6/1) still as the favorites to win the NBA title. With the emergence of Jeremy Lin and the Knicks recently, New York has been installed at 10/1 odds to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy, after starting this season at 20/1. San Antonio began this shortened campaign at 25/1 to win their fifth championship, but their latest hot stretch has moved them to 15/1. For a list of the latest championship odds, Sportsbook.com has provided a list right here.
3 in 3 Nights
We've seen 25 teams play the dreaded three games in three nights situation, which has several profitable spots. Instead of waiting until the third night to play or fade these teams, start with the first night of this sequence. In the first game of this grueling stretch, these squads own a 17-8 ATS record, including a 9-2 ATS mark in the favorite role. The second night is the time to fade these teams at 10-15 ATS, while underdogs are 3-8 ATS. The third night started off on fire with a 7-1 ATS ledger, but has cooled off with a 7-10 ATS record the last 17 opportunities. A complete list of upcoming teams in this situation can be found by clicking here.