Andy Hines
Wins and losses mean little to basketball bettors. All we really want to know in sports betting handicapping is can the team cover the pointspread? These NBA teams have defied their lack of success on the scoreboard, turning out profits despite being a losing NBA squads in terms of victories and defeats. The good thing is these “bad teams” tend to stay under the radar, as does their worth against the spread, which means hoops bettors can ride them all the way to the bank.
Brooklyn Nets (8-14 SU, 14-8 ATS)
The Nets’ win/loss and ATS records are mirror images of each other, with Brooklyn coming up short on the scoreboard but not at the sportsbooks most nights. It boast an average margin of defeat of just 3.5 points per game while facing an average spread of +4.6 points per game. The Nets have been underdogs in all but 16 of those games and have been a solid bet on the road, getting even more points from the oddsmakers, at 8-4 ATS heading into Sunday.
With that in mind, Brooklyn takes to the highway only two times in the next nine games. The Nets are still 6-4 ATS at home and get a major boost from the home court on offense, averaging 115 points per home stand – third most in the NBA. Brooklyn should still hold some value during this upcoming stretch, taking on top teams like Oklahoma City, Washington (twice), and Toronto. There are some winnable matchups as well, with the likes of Miami, New York, Indiana, and Sacramento on deck.
New York Knicks (11-10 SU, 13-8 ATS)
Basketball bettors are going to need a lot more than a 13-8 ATS start to the season in order to trust the Knicks with their hard-earned money. But, at least it’s a start. New York is covering the spread more often than not, thanks in large part to the stigma surrounding this franchise. The Knicks are making all their money inside Madison Square Garden, boasting an 11-3 ATS record at home – compared to a dismal 2-5 ATS mark on the road. That’s more like the N.Y. we all know.
New York is actually putting up some sort of a fight on defense after seasons and seasons of allowing opponents to have their way with the ball. The Knicks are allowing 103.8 points per game while limiting foes to just 43.8 percent shooting from the field. Of course, those stats drastically shift when you split the road results, giving up 108.9 points per away game – nearly eight points more than at home. That’s more than enough points against to bust the bankroll of faithful New York backers.
Charlotte Hornets (8-13 SU, 9-11-1 ATS)
Yes, the Hornets have a losing ATS record overall, but have been one of the best home bets in the NBA to start the season. Charlotte is 7-3 ATS inside the Spectrum Center – a vast contrast to the team’s god-awful 2-8-1 ATS count on the road. The Bugs are putting up 110 points per game on 45.7 percent shooting, including a 36 percent clip from beyond the arc. That just been enough to keep the Hornets profitable in front of the North Carolina faithful.
Things are a little shaky with Charlotte right now, with star guard Kemba Walker missing time with the shoulder injury. The UConn legend leads the team in scoring and assists, leaving the Hornets to lose SU and ATS without him the past two games. Those duds did come on the road, however. Charlotte’s upcoming calendar has the team playing 10 of its next 13 games at home, opening up the door for basketball bettors to cash in on this little-known ATS trend.
