Top NBA Teams Trickier to Bet Now

The NBA season is one of the most mentally and physically grueling there is in professional sports. No matter how good or a bad a team is, eventually the 82- game grind catches up with you. This can be especially troubling for NBA bettors, since it is widely considered the most difficult sport to bet sides on, since you are not only going against sharp numbers on a daily basis, but having to speculate on the mental condition of any given team, no matter how good your power ratings are or whatever methods you are inclined to use.

With the regular season approaching the mid-point of the year, boredom is often one of factors that play a huge part in how NBA players perform. The beginning of the season energized the good teams or those who were presumed to be good. Now 30-plus games into the season and the playoffs months away, it is easy for teams to lose focus, especially against inferior competition, whom they would normally toy with if in the mood.

The defending NBA champion Boston Celtics are a veteran bunch at most key positions and they started the season right where they left off in battering opponents by over 13 points a game, showing little mercy if the opponent choose not to put in four quarters of work. From the middle of November until Christmas Day, Boston won 19 games in a row, tying for the third longest streak in NBA history before succumbing to the Lakers in Los Angeles. During that amazing stretch, the Celtics won by an average of 14.6 points per game and were 13-6 against the oddsmakers, being a superb Play On club.

Since having the long winning streak snapped, Boston has played indifferent basketball. Doc Rivers’ team ended up losing three of four on Western swing and came home and walloped Washington and was totally disinterested in losing at New York 100-88 as 10.5 point favorites two nights later. Now would be a good time to be very selective with Paul Pierce and company, as the team looks for motivational spots to succeed.

The L.A. Lakers had a similar circumstance; theirs just came earlier in December. On December 1, Kobe Bryant and friends had already put together two win streaks of seven games and stood at 14-1. A one point loss at Indiana didn’t set off any alarms, since it was immediately followed by a 114-102 win over Philadelphia. Two nights later a close 106-104 victory at Washington signaled something might not be right and did that turn out to be true for the NBA bettor. Starting with the Wizards game, the Gold and Purple-clad Lakers would go on to lose an unconscionable 10 games in a row against the spread, though winning outright seven times. The oddsmakers likely feasted on all the Lakers money coming in, since they had to cover at some point, right? (Those that “chase” losses, have moved into one bedroom flats, trying to figure out next move)

What finally broke the cycle for Phil Jackson’s team was the role of an underdog on December 23 in New Orleans (just their second of the season, both in New Orleans), catching 2.5 points and routing the Hornets 100-87. This brought back the focus along with big win at home against Boston and the Lakers are now on new six-game winning streak, with five continuous covers.
What brought the Lakers back to winning ways, defensive intensity. While failing to cover the number in 10 consecutive games, they allowed over 101 points per game. Since then, L.A. has surrendered just 93.8 PPG.

No team is immune from a prolonged NBA campaign, even a younger team with fresher legs. The Cleveland Cavaliers haven’t received tremendous notary this season, since both of last year’s NBA finalists have played so well. That is not to say Cleveland is the Clippers when it comes to pub, especially with LeBron James, let’s just say it quieter.

From Nov. 3 until Dec. 23, Cleveland was beastly 23-2, with absolutely sick 18-5 ATS record. The Cavaliers were scintillating, tearing apart teams like a seven year old opening Christmas presents. A full 18 of their 23 victories were by 10 or more points and 14 of those were by 14 or more points. Finally, Cleveland could go no further. The schedule brought them woeful Washington twice and a back to back with an above average Miami team proved little incentive, as the Cavs are on 1-4 ATS bender, which includes a pair of losses. No doubt the Friday encounter with Boston will get the juices flowing again, but you have to be very careful.

Betting basketball every day is not easy, but it sure helps to know when to ride or get off hot teams. The more you know the better you will do.