Docs Website

54 Years Strong! A Trusted Leader In Sports Picks, Best Bets and Predictions Since 1971.

Main Menu

Hot and Cold NBA Betting Teams ATS and Over Under

by Spencer Toth - 11/11/2025

NBA hot and cold ATS and over under Cooper Flagg Dallas Mavericks

The first ten games are in the books for most of the NBA as the standings begin to take shape. Some teams have gotten off to predictable starts, like the Thunder’s 10-1 record or the Wizards’ 1-10 record, while others have surpassed or fallen short of their preseason expectations. Finding trends in spreads and totals can be a great way to stay ahead in the NBA, and certain teams have been exemplary candidates to follow. Here are the hottest and coldest teams against the spread, with the highest and lowest scorers over the first ten games of the season. 

Doc’s Sports offers NBA expert picks for every game on our NBA predictions page.

The Hot:

Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers had a disastrous season last year, finishing 24-58 after entering the year as one of the title favorites. After drafting VJ Edgecomb thanks to draft lottery luck, the high spirits in Philadelphia have translated to a strong start to the new season. The 76ers are only 6-4 straight up, but they are a stunning 8-1-1 against the spread. Unlike previous campaigns, the 76ers have found themselves in the underdog role in 6 of their first ten games. While they haven’t always been able to translate those into outright victories, they lost to the Pistons by 3, the Cavaliers by 11, and the Celtics by 1, all of which allowed them to still cover the spread in defeat. Edgecomb has certainly been a contributing factor, but the availability of their stars has been the primary force behind their early-season success. Joel Embiid has played in 6/10 games, while Tyrese Maxey, Edgecomb, and Kelly Oubre have yet to miss a contest. Paul George’s extended absence has kept them in the underdog role, and this is exactly the type of team we can continue to follow. Philadelphia hasn’t been winning outright, which means the public has yet to tune into their against-the-spread success. They will continue to find themselves in the underdog role in the coming weeks, which makes them ideal candidates to keep this streak alive. 

Miami Heat:
The Miami Heat are 8-3 against the spread to start the new season and have a 7-4 outright record to show for it. The Heat have been forced to deal with injuries to their stars, Terry Rozier being arrested, and Erik Spoelstra’s house getting burned down, but it hasn’t stopped them from finding on-court success. Miami has been an underdog in 9/11 games this season, winning outright as a three-point underdog on three occasions, and a 7.5-point underdog twice. Their ability to play strong defense under Spoelstra hasn’t wavered despite ongoing roster changes, and they have been getting favorable spreads as a result. Spoelstra is the best coach in the NBA for developing talent out of underrated superstars, and it feels as though something special is brewing in Miami. This is a team that is often overlooked without a household name on its roster, but that hasn’t stopped it from finding tangible success over the last decade. Miami in the underdog role is absolutely a trend we can bank on for the foreseeable future. 

The Cold:
Los Angeles Clippers

It doesn’t get very cold in Los Angeles at this time of the year, but the Clippers are doing their very best to change that fact. They are 1-9 against the spread this season and have an abysmal 3-7 record to show for it. They have been a 4.5 point or greater favorite on seven occasions this season, going 3-4 straight up and 1-6 against the spread in those contests. The Clippers are the oldest team in the NBA, and their veteran superstars have been unable to get their legs going. Not only are the Clippers losing, but losses to the Heat, Hawks, and back-to-back against the Suns are all very concerning. Los Angeles finds themselves in a very competitive Western Conference, and they do not have the margin for error needed to throw away these early-season games. They are bottom ten in both offensive and defensive rating, but the oddsmakers are still hesitant to give them the odds they deserve with James Harden and Kawhi Leonard on the court. Their best players are on the brink of retirement, and fading the Clippers in the favorite role is a surefire way to line your pockets. 

Washington Wizards

The Washington Wizards are 1-10 straight up and 2-9 against the spread this season. The oddsmakers have been trying their best to give them spreads they can cover, as the Wizards have been 9+ point underdogs in 8/11 games this season. The only times they haven’t were a trio of home games against the Mavericks, Hornets, and 76ers, all of which they lost by at least five points. It is not as if the Wizards have been forced to deal with early-season injuries either, as their entire lineup is healthy outside of Bilal Coulibaly. Coulibaly is a strong member of their rotation, but the lack of other talent still leaves Washington in the league’s basement when he returns. Washington hits the road for six of their next nine games, but that doesn’t mean it will be an automatic fade at exuberant prices. The oddsmakers have been reluctant to give them the 15+ point spreads they deserve, but that will undoubtedly be the case in the coming weeks. 

High Scorers:

Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron James’ injury was expected to derail the early hopes for the Lakers, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The Lakers are 9-2 to the over this year with an 8-3 record through the first 11 games. They have the league’s highest field goal percentage at 51.2% with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves averaging 37 and 30 points, respectively. The Lakers offense is a truly dominant force, yet the oddsmakers are still reluctant to give them the totals they deserve. The Lakers had a previously strong defense in prior seasons, but that simply isn’t the case after they swapped Anthony Davis for Doncic. The whole offensive dynamic could change when LeBron gets back into the fold, but as long as they keep getting sub-230 totals, the overs will keep cashing. 

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Timberwolves have reached the Western Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons thanks to strong play on the defensive end. That is no longer the case, as they are 8-3 to the over this season. Even with Anthony Edwards previously missing time with a hamstring injury, the Timberwolves continue to find ways to put the ball in the hoop. Julius Randle has settled into Minnesota nicely, while Jaden McDaniels is having a great year on the offensive end. The oddsmakers gave the Timberwolves eight straight sub-230 totals to start the year, but they have started to come to their senses with 233.5, 238, and 234.5 totals in the last three games. The Timberwolves' lowest scoring game all season was a combined 228 points, making it hard to justify these prices until things cool off. Their defense will eventually rebound, but there is no way we can step in front of their red-hot offense for the foreseeable future. 

Low Scorers:

Indiana Pacers

It is hard to blame the Pacers for their 1-9 start this season. Losing Tyrese Haliburton in the NBA Finals and Myles Turner in the offseason was hard enough, but they have also lost Mathurin, McConnell, Nembhard, and Toppin to injury this year. It is not surprising to see them go 8-2 to the Under, as they have one of the worst offensive units in the league. Their pace of play has also dropped considerably from last year, something the oddsmakers have only recently started to take into account. The Pacers' offense will not improve until they can get healthy, but once that happens, look for Indiana to consistently cash the over in the coming weeks. 

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks haven’t gotten off to the start they would’ve expected with Cooper Flagg in their ranks, but their defense has been impressive. They have gone to the Under in 8 of their first 11 games, but are only 3-8 in that span. To make matters worse, Dallas has played seven of their first ten at home, and have gone 0-5 against Western Conference opponents. Strong defensive play from their interior defenders has kept them afloat against the East, but things need to change if Dallas is serious about competing. Anthony Davis is expected back in the coming days, meaning this team will only get better defensively. Their offense is too hard to judge at this stage of the season, meaning it is best to stay away from their totals until we see how they play as a complete unit. 

Get NBA picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bets by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.

 

Most Recent NBA Handicapping

One E-mail A Week Is All You Need!
Our weekly newsletter is loaded with exclusive free picks,insight and advice from our expert handicappers