NBA betting will shift into high gear over the next two months with the start of the playoffs. The postseason is an intense, every-play-matters situation that should provide basketball bettors with plenty of solid gambling opportunities. For sports gamblers, handicapping a game takes on an even greater importance as teams rarely fold during the postseason and will play hard until the final possession.

A seven-game series can be filled with ebbs and flows, and one of the most important stats to keep track of is which teams can win, and cover spreads, on the road. It has been said that a series does not truly begin until a team wins on the road, and that statement could not be truer for sports bettors. Being able to follow the trends of a series and take advantage of a few timely road team bets can be a great way to boost your bankroll during the postseason. Let’s take a quick look at the road ATS records for each team in the playoffs and rank them from worst to best.

Western Conference:

8) LA Lakers: 15-25-1, 37.5 percent
7) Houston Rockets: 17-22-1, 43.6 percent
6) Golden State Warriors: 18-21-1, 46.2 percent
5) San Antonio: 20-21, 48.8 percent
4) LA Clippers: 20-20, 50 percent
3) Denver Nuggets: 21-20, 51.2 percent
2) Oklahoma City: 22-17-2, 56.4 percent
1) Memphis Grizzlies: 24-16-1, 60 percent

Thoughts: The Grizzlies, somewhat surprisingly, have the best road ATS record in the Western Conference and will be playing a Clippers team that is .500 while playing outside of the Staples Center. Memphis may be an underdog in the series, but expect them to cover more than a few spreads during their first-round matchup against Los Angeles.

The Lakers and Rockets have the worst ATS road records of the eight playoff teams in the Western Conference, and both could have trouble covering even one game against the top-seeded Thunder and Spurs. Don’t be surprised to see a four-game ATS sweep in either of those series. In reality, none of the Bottom 6 teams in the West are very good road ATS teams, and each could have trouble covering spreads once the playoffs begin.

Eastern Conference:

8) Boston Celtics: 15-25-1, 37.5 percent
7) Indiana Pacers: 20-20, 50 percent
6) Milwaukee Bucks: 21-20, 51.2 percent
5) New York Knicks: 21-18-2, 53.8 percent
4) Chicago Bulls: 23-18, 56.1 percent
3) Brooklyn Net: 23-18, 56.1 percent
2) Atlanta Hawks: 23-17, 57.5 percent
1) Miami Heat: 24-17, 58.5 percent

Thoughts: The Heat, of course, have the best road ATS record in the Eastern Conference, but the real surprise is the Hawks’ very solid 23-17 record. Atlanta will be playing the Pacers, who have one of the worst road ATS records, in the first round and should be able to cover a few spreads against the team.

The Nets and Bulls, who will be matching up during the first round, also have very good road ATS records, so expect a close series that goes back-and-forth between each team covering the spread. Actually, this might be the one series that gamblers should stay away from since the games will probably be toss-ups that can go either way.

The Heat might be looking at a four-game ATS sweep against the Bucks, who have a 21-20 road ATS record. However, expect Miami to have ridiculously large spreads during the first-round. Road ATS stats should not be the only thing that a gambler looks at during his pre-wager analysis, but they can be the first step in deciding on which teams to bet. The NBA Playoffs can be a marathon, so remember to bet wisely, and may the spread be with you.

Read more articles by George Monroy