This Week's Best NBA Bets
Covers.com
Each week, we look back on the NBA betting scene and give you the best - and worst - basketball bets, as well as some spots to keep an eye on with the upcoming schedule.
For the week ending March 24-30
Hottest ATS - Orlando Magic (2-1 SU, 2-0-1 ATS)
With no team going truly perfect against the spread last week, the lottery-bound Magic stand alone as the team providing the most value. Orlando doesn't appear content to float to the end of the regular season, posting an impressive 2-1 mark through the first three games of a four-game home stand. The Magic opened the stretch with a 95-85 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers before outlasting the Charlotte Bobcats 110-105 in overtime and earning the rare push in a 98-93 defeat at the hands of the Toronto Raptors.
Coldest ATS - Indiana Pacers (1-3 SU, 0-4 ATS)
The Pacers are struggling to maintain their lead over the Miami Heat atop the Eastern Conference standings, and have been absolute poison when it comes to spread and over bets. Indiana is 1-7 ATS in its last eight games, including a winless week that saw it drop road decisions to Chicago, Washington and Cleveland while pulling out a one-point win over the Heat. A major offensive collapse has plagued the slumping Pacers, who have scored more than 80 points just once in their last five games.
Best Over play - Memphis Grizzlies (2-2 SU, 3-1 O/U)
A handful of teams represented solid over plays this week, and the Grizzlies are at the top of the list. Despite being a below-average over team on the season, the Grizzlies found themselves in some higher-scoring outcomes en route to a break-even SU week. Memphis opened the stretch with a 109-92 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves and a 91-87 triumph over the Utah Jazz, but suffered defensive breakdowns once it hit the road, surrendering triple-digit totals in losses to Golden State and Portland.
Best Under play - Miami Heat (3-1 SU, 0-4 O/U)
Miami has taken a minimalist approach to its pursuit of the top seed in the Eastern Conference, relying on lockdown defense to win three of four last week. After a narrow victory over Portland and that one-point loss to the Pacers, the Heat limited the Detroit Pistons to 78 points in a one-sided win before completely overwhelming the Milwaukee Bucks 88-67. Expect more of the same from Miami if it has to do without injured guards Dwyane Wade, Ray Allen and Mario Chalmers for any extended period of time.
Surveying the schedule
The San Antonio Spurs are doing exactly what they do at the end of every regular season, laying waste to opponents as the look to secure the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The Spurs enter the week on a franchise record-tying 17-game winning streak, and can break the club mark with a victory Monday night against the tumbling Pacers. The rest of the week looks a little more challenging, with home games against the Golden State Warriors and Grizzlies and a road date with the Oklahoma City Thunder looming.
This week's best NBA spot bet opportunities
By Steve Merril
Covers.com
Spot bets are classic handicapping practices that have proven profitable no matter what sport you’re betting. Whether it’s a team looking past this week’s opponent, one coming off a hard-fought victory, or a rough patch of schedule, bettors can find value picking their spots.
Letdown spot
Minnesota has a big week ahead of them, and it begins Monday night when they host the Los Angeles Clippers. The Timberwolves host Memphis on Wednesday, and then play in Miami on Friday night. Their final game of the week comes the following night in Orlando, and that sets up as a bad spot for Minnesota.
The Timberwolves have been in poor form, so they will be primed for big efforts against the Clippers, Grizzlies, and Heat. Minnesota will be in letdown mode on Saturday night when they play the Magic, especially since they already beat Orlando this season.
Look-ahead spot
Chicago comes into this week currently with the #4 seed for the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls are just one game out of third place, and just 1.5 games ahead of fifth place. Chicago will play two teams in playoff contention, in Atlanta on Wednesday and in Washington on Saturday.
The Bulls host the lowly Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night, and there’s a good chance Chicago will overlook that game, especially with a huge game against the Wizards the following night. The Bulls are 0-2 versus Washington this season, and with the Wizards sitting just three games behind Chicago in the standings, the game is quite important. The Milwaukee game is simply a bad spot for the Bulls on Friday night.
Schedule spot
San Antonio goes into their Monday night game in Indiana on an incredible 19-1 SU and 15-5 ATS run over their last 20 games. The Spurs have been the best team in the NBA since the All-Star break as they’ve taken advantage of a slew of home games and a very easy schedule during that span.
The Spurs will play four games this week against playoff-contending teams. After Monday, San Antonio will host Golden State on Wednesday, play in Oklahoma City on Thursday, and close the week at home against Memphis on Sunday. The Spurs will be in a tough scheduling spot on Thursday at Oklahoma City as it will be a no-rest situation and the Spurs' third game in four nights, while the Thunder will have three full days of rest entering the game.