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NBA Betting Advice: Hot and Cold Teams Against the Spread 12/6/2022

by Spencer Toth - 12/6/2022

Hot and cold NBA teams against the spread Jayson Tatum Boston Celtics

The NBA season is now 1/4 complete, and the standings are starting to shape up. Over the last couple weeks, some teams have been filling the bucket, while others have fallen short of expectations. Let’s look at the hottest and coldest NBA teams and which have been the lowest and highest scorers.

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The Hot

Boston Celtics:

The Boston Celtics have gone 8-2 Against The Spread (ATS) over their last 10 games and 8-2 outright as well. The Celtics find themselves sitting at 20-5 and are the first team to eclipse the 20-win threshold. While the Celtics have always been good, Jayson Tatum has elevated them a step further, and they look to have a stranglehold on first place in the East. Tatum has been consistent, averaging 30.2 PPG over his last 10, perfectly on pace with his 30.8 PPG this season. The Celtics have proven themselves to be a true contender and sport the shortest odds to take home the championship, but they are clearly not getting the daily respect from the bookies ATS.

Los Angeles Lakers:

The Lakers have managed to turn their season around and are a red hot 8-2 ATS. After starting the season 2-10, the Lakers have miraculously injected themselves back into the playoff race, winning eight of their last 10 outright. Just like many others, I forgot how dominant a healthy Anthony Davis can be, and he is reminding me every time he steps onto the court. He has scored at least 19 points every game this season, and 25+ over the last 2 weeks, including a 55-point outburst against the Wizards. Davis has the ability to drag this team out of the basement, but he will need help from LeBron James and his other stars to keep them in the playoff race long term. But as long as Davis keeps playing at an MVP caliber, the Lakers will keep winning games.

The Cold

San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs are on a horrendous run of form and are on an 11-game losing streak with no signs of reprieve in sight. During this span, they’ve lost by single digits just twice and are an abysmal 1-10 ATS. The Spurs have no game changers in their lineup and will instead be tanking for a chance at the consensus number 1 pick next year, Victor Wembanyama. They have the worst defensive rating in the league to go along with their second worst offense. They will be evaluating the talent on their bench for the rest of the season, and winning games will not be a high priority. I don’t like to stay away from teams regardless of the line, but betting on the Spurs during their skid certainly feels like lighting money on fire.

Washington Wizards:

The Wizards find themselves sitting right next to the Spurs, with a 1-8-1 record ATS over the last 10 games. The Wizards were expected to make some noise this season but have consistently fallen short of expectations. The Wizards have three different 20 PPG options in Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, and Kristaps Porzingis, but the depth in the squad is severely lacking, with only four players averaging double-digit points. Beal has been hit with a hamstring injury that will see him out for at least a week, which should keep the Wizards ice cold ATS.

High scorers

Utah Jazz:

The Jazz have found some early season success and find themselves sitting 14-12 through the first quarter of the season. This surprising start is largely due to their 3rd-ranked offense, who have cashed the Over 7 times out of the last 10, and the emergence of Lauri Markkanen. Markkanen is averaging a career high 22.2 PPG and is one of 6 players averaging double-digit points on the Jazz. Despite the balanced consistent scoring the Jazz possess, the oddsmakers haven’t adjusted their total sufficiently. As long as they keep getting average totals for above average scoring, the Jazz will continue to cash the Over.

Washington Wizards:

The Wizards find themselves on a losing streak, and are in the ‘High Scorers’ category, which should say a lot about where this team is defensively. They’ve given up 110+ points in their last six games and are 7-3 favoring the Over in their last 10. The Wizards defense is clearly reeling, and the aforementioned departure of Beal will not help. The Wizards competent offense will be severely downgraded in Beal’s absence, and the Wizards will find themselves out of this category soon.

Low scorers

Cleveland Cavaliers:

The Cavaliers have cashed the Over just twice in their last 10 games. However, considering they’ve gone 7-3 in that span, it’s largely due to their defensive prowess. The Cavaliers have kept their opponents to 100 points or fewer in seven of their last 10 games and have been an Under bettors’ dream in the process. The team defense has kept them among the Eastern Conference elites, but they face tough tests against the Lakers and King this week. If their defense can hold strong against two of the top offenses, this team will be a fearsome unit for the rest of the season.

Brooklyn Nets:

The Nets have eclipsed their total three times in the last 10 games, going 7-3 in that span. The Nets appear to be turning a corner, and their porous defense from last year has been improved. Kevin Durant will do his best to push them over the total on his own each night, but the oddsmakers are setting 2021-22 totals for a Nets team that is less potent offensively, and stouter on the defensive end. They find themselves pretty average in scoring and defense. However, until the oddsmakers start adjusting accordingly, they will keep cashing the Unders.

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