The NBA’s regular season has just eight days remaining.  Playoff battles are heating up in both conferences. This is an interesting time of year, because some teams have a lot more on the line than others. Catching onto NBA betting trends this time of the year can be a good way to beat the books. Here’s a look at the hot and cold teams in the NBA over the last two weeks. Please note that all statistics used are for games played between March 21 and April 3.

Top Five “Hot” ATS NBA Teams

-Memphis Grizzlies (7-0 ATS) Who would have thought that the Memphis Grizzlies would be playing this kind of basketball without Rudy Gay? Memphis has confused the books all year long. The Grizzlies are 50-26-1 ATS this year. Zach Randolph is having a huge year, and the emergence of Mike Conley at the point guard spot has been a coup for this team. The Grizzlies last five games aren’t particularly difficult, so they will likely end the year on a nice hot streak.

-Atlanta Hawks (6-1 ATS) The Hawks have underperformed expectations for much of the year, but it seems the books have finally gotten a little too low on this team. Atlanta’s defense has been winning them games over the last couple weeks. The Hawks have done a nice job on the road this year, but they have dropped too many games on their home floor. Can this talented team continue their hot streak into the playoffs?

- Denver Nuggets (4-1-1 ATS) There were quite a few experts who thought this team could improve without Carmelo Anthony, but I don’t think anyone expected this team to become a covering machine. The Nuggets are 16-2-1 ATS since the deal was made. Denver is playing with tons of energy, and I have a feeling this is a team that no one wants to see in the playoffs.

-Sacramento Kings (5-2-1 ATS) The Kings won’t be sniffing the playoffs this year, but give them credit for playing hard at the end of the season. This team is better than they have shown this year, but they have some chemistry issues. It will be interesting to see if the Kings make some significant roster moves in the offseason.

-Houston Rockets (4-2 ATS) It looks like the Rockets will come up a little bit short of a playoff berth this year, but it hasn’t been because they didn’t give it their best effort. Rick Adelman’s team has had a lot of injuries this year, but they have continued to play hard. They’ll play in New Orleans on April 6, and that is one of the team’s they are chasing. Consider that game a must-win for the Rockets.

Bottom Five “Cold” ATS NBA Teams

-Orlando Magic (1-6 ATS) Orlando is only 31-45-1 ATS so far this year. They are 1-9 ATS in their last 10 games overall. Dwight Howard is having a career year, but the rest of the team has been inconsistent. This team has a ton of offensive threats, but they can’t seem to get on the same page. Stan Van Gundy’s team needs to use this last week of the season to get on track.

-Utah Jazz (1-5-1 ATS) It has been a year of change for Utah, and in this case that isn’t a good thing. Jerry Sloan and Deron Williams are both gone, and the team has lost eight straight games. This is a team in disarray right now. The Jazz might be looking forward to the end of the season more than any other team in the league.

-New York Knicks (2-5 ATS) The Knicks failed to cover the spread in six straight games before turning it around to cover in two of their last three contests. The team appears to be getting their offensive rhythm back, but because they play almost no defense they must rely on outscoring their opponent on a nightly basis.

-Los Angeles Clippers (2-4 ATS) Blake Griffin has made this team much more exciting this year, but they still have a lot of room for improvement. This is a team that needs to play more disciplined basketball. The Clippers have won just eight games on the road all year. Four of their last five games are on the road.

-Phoenix Suns (3-5 ATS) It seems extremely evident that the Phoenix Suns are ready for the offseason. The team has failed to cover the spread in five of their last six contests, and Alvin Gentry is resting all the starters quite a bit in recent games. Four of their last six games are against teams that will be in the playoffs. Don’t expect much from the Suns the rest of this year.