Momentum is a powerful force, and over the course of a long season it can change numerous times. If you can catch an NBA team that is playing with a ton of confidence, they can really get on a heck of a streak covering the number. If you aren’t already keeping track of who has the momentum, you should probably start keeping an eye on it. Doc’s Sports will be presenting an NBA Hot and Cold Report every two weeks this year to help you stay ahead of the game. Please note that statistics in this initial report are from games played between Dec.13 and Dec. 26.  

Top Five “Hot” ATS NBA Teams

--Houston Rockets (6-1 ATS) The Houston Rockets are red hot right now. They have won seven of their last eight games overall. They have covered the spread in six of their last seven contests. The Rockets are winning thanks to their high-powered offense. Houston plays at a tempo far quicker than anyone else in the NBA, and that is working very well of late. The Rockets have scored 120 points or more in three of their last four games. James Harden is fourth in the league in scoring at 25.8 points per game so far this season.

--Indiana Pacers (5-1 ATS) Indiana started the season really slowly, but they have played much better over the past month. Indiana leads the league in field goal percentage defense, and the Pacers are only giving up 89.9 points per game. In their last 11 games, only one team has scored more than 92 points against the Pacers. On the offensive end, the Pacers lead the NBA in offensive rebounding.

--Los Angeles Clippers (5-1 ATS) This is the fourth edition of the NBA Hot and Cold Report, and the Clippers have been on the hot side three times. It might surprise you to find out that the Clippers have the best record in the NBA at this point in the season. This is a team that seems to have matured a great deal since a year ago. They have the best road record in the league. The strength of the Clippers bench is a big reason why this team is so much better this season.

--Phoenix Suns (5-1-1 ATS) Each week we find at least one team that really isn’t very good, but the oddsmakers have finally gotten a bit too low on them. That team is the Phoenix Suns this week. Can the Suns continue their streak into the next few days? The schedule doesn’t look good for them. The Suns have won only two games on the road all year, and their next three games are on the road against playoff-caliber teams.

--Denver Nuggets (5-2 ATS) The Nuggets haven’t played poorly this year, but they have had a rough schedule. Denver has played 20 road games this season compared to only 10 home games. They’ll have a stretch where they play seven out of eight games at home beginning on New Year’s Day. Don’t be surprised if the Nuggets continue their run in their nice stretch of games at the Pepsi Center.

Bottom Five “Cold” ATS NBA Teams

--Charlotte Bobcats (1-6 ATS) What happened to that nice start the Charlotte Bobcats had at the beginning of the season? It’s a very distant memory. The Bobcats have lost 16 straight games, and they have only covered the spread in 2 of their last 11 games. This team may have just a little more talent than a year ago, but this is still by far the worst team in the league.

--Brooklyn Nets (1-6 ATS) Brooklyn had very high expectations this year, and after a nice start they’ve really fallen apart of late. Avery Johnson was fired on Thursday, and the Nets are going in a completely different direction. This team has a lot of very solid players, but they aren’t hitting enough shots right now. Deron Williams and Joe Johnson are both shooting career-low percentages from the floor.

--Utah Jazz (2-5 ATS) Utah has lost five of their last seven games overall, and they have failed to cover the spread in five of their last seven as well. The Jazz are now at the bottom of a very difficult Northwest Division. Jazz fans have to be worried about the fact that the team has actually lost two straight games at home. Utah’s home-court advantage is one of the best in the NBA, but they dropped games to both Memphis and Golden State in the past week. Mo Williams was injured in the team’s last game, and that is another major concern moving forward.

--Atlanta Hawks (2-5 ATS) The Atlanta Hawks can be a little bit difficult to figure out. Sometimes this team appears ready to take the next step, while at other times they don’t look any better than mediocre. Wednesday night’s double overtime win over the Pistons was a good example of their inconsistency. The Hawks blew a 22-point fourth quarter lead before finally holding on to win in double overtime against a poor Detroit Pistons team.

--New York Knicks (2-5-1 ATS) New York has more wins than any other team in the Eastern Conference, but they have slowed a bit of late. The injury problems are starting to pile up on the Knicks. Carmelo Anthony has missed three games in the last couple weeks, and the Knicks have struggled without him in the lineup. Raymond Felton was hurt in the team’s last game, and Felton will be out until early February. Felton has been great for the team this year, and they’ll definitely miss his productivity.

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