As has become the norm these days, there are three ways to evaluate an NBA team: in reality, in terms of fantasy and in terms of sports betting. While some teams might be a disappointment in the win-loss column, they might be quite profitable in terms of sports betting.
We’re almost through the month of November, so now is a great time for us to reflect. Let’s take a look back and see which NBA teams have been among the most disappointing in terms of sports betting.
Dallas Mavericks
ATS: 7-13-1
This certainly hasn’t been the way that Mark Cuban would have liked for Dirk Nowitzki to finish off his career. Nor has this been the expected scenario after the Dallas Mavericks scooped up Dennis Smith Jr. in the NBA Draft.
There was so much optimism surrounding the Mavericks. With Harrison Barnes and Wesley Mathews on the wings, a full season with Nerlens Noel, Dirk back for one more campaign and a quality head coach, this team was supposed to contend for a playoff spot. Instead, the Mavericks have been downright awful – they’re currently sitting in last-place in the Western Conference with a 5-15 record and will not likely be in contention for the playoffs at all.
As a result of how they were perceived – by experts and odds makers – and how they are in reality, we can see why they’ve been such a miss against the spread.
Memphis Grizzlies
ATS: 6-13
Year after year, the Memphis Grizzlies somehow find ways to grind out games and win, even with injuries, personnel changes, and coaching changes. However, their luck may have run out this year. The Grizzlies are currently out of the playoffs with a 7-12 record (.368 winning percentage). They haven’t been much better against the spread either, posting a 6-13-0 record. This is quite surprising, as the Grizzlies usually find a way to do well against the spread even when their actual record indicates otherwise.
Their offense has been bad, averaging just 98.8 points per game. In an era where scoring is so important, it’s hard to win and cover when you average less than 100 points per game. The Grizz have lost eight straight and have been one of the most unreliable teams – in reality and in terms of betting – so far this season.
Cleveland Cavaliers
ATS: 6-12-1
Although the Cleveland Cavaliers are sitting in third-place in the Eastern Conference with a 12-7 record (.632 winning percentage), they’re not even in first-place in their division – that claim currently belongs to the Detroit Pistons. In terms of LeBron James’ standards, the Cavaliers have struggled quite a bit coming out of the gate this season. They haven’t been much better against the spread either, posting a 6-12-1 record and currently the third-worst team in this regard. The loss of Kyrie Irving has clearly hurt the Cavaliers in a lot of ways and if they’re not able to right the ship, they’ll either fail to make an appearance in the NBA Finals or find themselves unable to match up against whichever team qualifies from the Western Conference.
Sacramento Kings
ATS: 7-10-2
The Sacramento Kings just can’t seem to get a break. The entire Kings’ franchise has been fraught with disarray and bad luck and this year seems to be no different. The Kings are currently the second-worst team in the Western Conference with a 5-13 record (.278 winning percentage). Even when judging their performance against the spread, they’re not able to find any solace, with a 7-10-2 record. This franchise must be able to catch a break soon, right?
Portland Trail Blazers
ATS: 7-10-3
Although the Portland Trail Blazers are somehow in fourth-place in the Western Conference with a 12-8 record (.600 winning percentage), they’ve been awful against the spread with a 7-10-3 record. What’s surprising is that the Western Conference is weaker than anticipated, yet they still can’t find a path to consistency. They’re on a bit of a roll right now as they have won six of their last eight games. Even so, they aren’t paying off that well for bettors just yet.
The 2017-18 NBA is well underway. It’s been a wild offseason already, but keep an eye on the betting lines as they move around at Diamond Sportsbook! Get the latest NBA betting lines right here.
