NBA Second Half: What Sports Bettors Need to Know

With the first half of the NBA season in the books, I studied every team’s tendencies, positive and negative, and tried to look forward as to what it might mean in the second half of the season. Here are situations to consider.

Northwest Division

Denver – Using the proverbial “if the season were to end today” the Nuggets would miss the playoffs. Fortunately, they still have time to improve but Denver needs its depleted roster to start returning healthy players. The Nuggets have been plenty healthy on the road at 13-5 ATS.

Minnesota –The Timberwolves have not lacked for bite in visitors' uniform with a 10-4 ATS record and is 8-3 against the spread if they are listed as underdog. Kevin Love and the rest of Minnesota will be away from all 10,000 lakes 19 times the remainder of the regular season.

Oklahoma City – The Thunder have to be salivating with the knowledge of playing 11 more times versus the Eastern Conference since they are 6-1 SU and ATS.

Portland – When checking various NBA Power Ratings around the internet, the Trailblazers are remarkably high (not in mine) given their pedestrian 18-16 record. There is nothing pedestrian about Portland off a spread loss where they are blazing 13-3 SU and ATS.

Utah – The Jazz are in the pessimists or optimists arena for one aspect of their season. Utah has 10 contests left against the East and is 6-2 ATS against them, however, seven of those are on the road where they are 3-11 and 5-9 ATS overall as a traveling squad.

Southwest Division

Dallas – The defending NBA champions are one of the best defensive teams in the league and Dallas shows their true grit after being knocked off with a 9-4 and 9-3-1 ATS record.

Houston – The Rockets have 15 games still on the schedule at the Toyota Center, which is awesome news for Houston fans. The Rockets are 14-4 and 13-5 ATS in front of the home crowd. Also, keep a watchful eye on Houston off a loss where they are 10-4 ATS.

Memphis – The Grizzlies are one of the grittier teams in the NBA and went 5-1 SU before the All- Star break. Memphis is 7-2 SU and ATS vs. the Eastern Conference and nine matchups left to play against this conference and at the moment only two have a winning record.

New Orleans – The Hornets win less than once every four games on average, but they can sting home favorites and are 11-4 ATS when receiving points on the road. Of their 18 conflicts away from New Orleans still on tap, only one time should they be considered an away favorite.

San Antonio –The Spurs wrapped up their annual Rodeo Trip with an 8-1 and 6-2-1 ATS record and have built a working margin in their division. San Antonio is 8-3 SU and ATS against their Southwest rivals and still has five games to improve their standing with them.

Pacific Division

Golden State – The Warriors have been thought highly of for showing improvement this season under first year coach Mark Jackson. The last part of the year will give us a truer picture of Golden State as they have 19 road games left, the most in the NBA. The Warriors are 9-3 OVER when leaving the Bay Area.

L.A. Clippers – One of the first steps to becoming an improved team is handling adversity. The Clippers are on the right path with a 9-2 (8-3 ATS) record after suffering a defeat.

L.A. Lakers – If the Lakers have hopes of moving up in the West, they will have to get their act together on the road. LA is just 6-12 and even worse 5-13 ATS when not playing a home game.

Phoenix – Teams are supposed to thrive at home, but that is not the case for the Suns playing at Planet Orange where they are 3-7 ATS (4-6). Trying to digest the rest of their slate, Phoenix could be favored eight or nine more times, making them play against material at this pace.

Sacramento – Here is something to contemplate, the Kings take the most shots of any NBA road team, yet is 14-7 UNDER as a visiting pooch. Sacramento fans turn down the volume when viewing their team away from home since they clang 59 percent of their shot attempts, which is next to last in the NBA. 

Atlantic Division

Boston – The Celtics closed the first half 0-5 SU and ATS and rumors persist they might make a move or two to acquire draft choices and start rebuilding. Their biggest weaknesses have been against the Central Division, whom they are 4-7 and 3-8 ATS against and the Western Conference where they are 1-7 SU and ATS. For the remainder of the year they have six games in the Central and 10 meetings with the West.

New Jersey –The Nets are deplorable at home where they are 3-13 (4-12 ATS) and they still have 17 games remaining on their own floor. If and when New Jersey does win anywhere, look the other way since they are 2-8 ATS after a victory and 4-10-1 ATS after covering the spread.

New York – Maybe all the Knicks moving parts, including Jeremy Lin, will gel in the 59 remaining days of the regular season. However, playing against New York as favorites (7-12-1 ATS) is still your best bet at the moment.

Philadelphia –The Sixers are in a serious slide with five consecutive losses and fallen seven of nine times. Philadelphia still has six contests with the Central Division which sounds like good news since they are 6-0 SU and ATS against them. Philly has been adequate on the road at 7-8 (SU & ATS) but has to conclude the season with five games as visitors at crunch time.

Toronto – The purple dinosaurs are 10-23, yet support an 18-4-1 ATS mark, which means they could improve. Though the sample is very small, Toronto is 3-0 ATS in true back-to-back road games and that will occur five more times for the Raptors before the end of the year.

Central Division

Chicago – Talk about your road warriors, Chicago is 14-6 (13-7 ATS) away from the Windy City. The Bulls have among the fewest road encounters left among the NBA brethren with just 13 to go.

Cleveland – The Cavaliers have enjoyed a few high points to date, but betting on Cleveland after a win has been bad news at 4-8-1 ATS. Looking into the crystal ball, the Cavs might be favored up to 10 more times, which should be considered equally bad news, since they are 2-6 ATS in that role.

Detroit – The Pistons had the look of sure-fire squad competing for the worst record in the Association, but have won seven of 11 (9-2 ATS) and are competitive. Detroit has labored all season as road underdogs at 3-14 (6-11 ATS) and likely will be in that role all but two of their last 16 contests left.

Indiana –The Pacers are only 5-9 ATS in Indianapolis in spite of 10-4 record. It’s easy to point to their inconsistent defense as the culprit, yet Indiana is 12^th in field goal percentage defense for home teams and 10^th in points permitted. There does not appear to be any glaring weaknesses other than possibly being overvalued by the odds makers and the inability of closing out games.

Milwaukee – Everything is in place for another desultory year in Brew Town and Milwaukee is especially inept with no rest, sporting a 2-9 ATS mark. This will happen on 11 more occasions, giving little reason to "Fear the Deer." At least Ryan Braun is back for the locals.

Southeast Division

Atlanta – The Hawks have suffered more than their share on injuries and it has really affected them on the road where they are 3-8 ATS catching points. From Mar. 6 to April 16, Atlanta is expected to be in the same situation no less than eight times.

Charlotte – The Bobcats have no talent to compete night in and night out and are 3-22 and 7-18 ATS with zero or one day of rest. For the rest of the year, on only two occasions will this not be Charlotte scheduling fate.

Miami – The Heat has the best record in the Eastern Conference at 27-7 and is tied with Oklahoma City overall. Miami is always overburdened with points and are only a good bet when they are playing at their best. The Heat does have one category to follow, being 10-6 OVER after a spread set back.

Orlando – It’s really a challenge to get a read on the Magic, because some of their losses tend to be spectacular in nature. Orlando thus far has been as reliable as Mickey Mouse in delivering joy to backers with a 9-3 SU and ATS record after losing previous contest.

Washington – When you use the dictionary function of your computer, if you look up the word - moribund – you will see a team picture of the 2011-12 Wizards, who are 3-23 and 7-19 ATS as underdogs and will be in that role frequently for the remainder of the season.