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It’s time to get into our latest NBA against the spread (ATS) Power Rankings. This week, we feature teams making playoff and seeding pushes as well as teams who are starting to show improvements as we barrel toward the end of the season. The latest rankings are based on a combination of ATS and Money Line standings over the last three weeks of the NBA season.
1. Minnesota Timberwolves 41-30-1 ATS (57%) - You would be hard-pressed to find a team playing better basketball than the Timberwolves right now. Led by Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves are 11-2 ATS and on the Money Line in their last 13 games. Currently, Minnesota has played themselves into the sixth seed in the West, knocking the Denver Nuggets into the play-in tournament. Things get difficult for Minnesota this week as they play the Dallas Mavericks twice as well as games against the Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics.
2. Boston Celtics 36-34-2 ATS (51%) - Someone needs to keep me after school and make me write on the blackboard 100 times: “I will not fade the Boston Celtics.” Fading the Celtics is poor money management as the guys in green are making a push toward the top of the Eastern Conference, currently sitting fourth in the east and are only a half-game out of the second seed. Boston has won 10 of their last 12 straight up while going 7-4-1 ATS. Boston faces Oklahoma City, the Utah Jazz and Timberwolves this week but it doesn’t matter -- don’t fade them.
3. Milwaukee Bucks 33-48 (46%) ATS- After spending the majority of the season as one of the worst ATS teams in the league, the Bucks are getting hot at the right time. Milwaukee is 8-3 on the Money Line and 7-4 ATS in their last 11 games. The defending champs are home against Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards this week before facing the Memphis Grizzlies.
4. Miami Heat 40-30-1 (57%) ATS - The Miami Heat are currently holding on to the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Miami is 7-5 ATS and 9-3 on the Money Line in their last 12 games. Of note, PointsBet has them at -500 to be the top-seed in the East but Miami is home this week against the Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, and Brooklyn Nets.
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5. Dallas Mavericks 39-32 (54%) ATS - After being the hottest team in the west for a better part of the last month, the Mavericks have calmed down a little. Right now, Dallas is holding on to the fifth seed in the west, only two games out of the fourth. That said, Dallas is 8-4 straight up and 7-5 ATS in their last 12 games. This is a big week for the Mavericks: they have two games against Minnesota and one against the Jazz.
6. Charlotte Hornets 39-30-2 (56%) ATS- Honestly, I have been waiting all season for the Hornets to fall off. Maybe I need to write 100 times: “The Hornets will not fall off.” Charlotte is 7-4 ATS and on the Money Line in their last 12 games. The Hornets enter the week on a four-game winning streak. Looking ahead, the Hornets will likely host the Atlanta Hawks in the 9-10 matchup in the play-in tournament. For now, the New Orleans Pelicans, Knicks, Jazz and Nets are on the Hornets schedule this week.
7. New Orleans Pelicans 34-36-1 (48%) ATS - The Pelicans, who will likely be a play-in team in the Western Conference are 7-5 ATS and on the Money Line in their last 12 games. Credit goes to the Pelicans for fighting despite injuries and poor play for the majority of the season. The job head coach Willie Green has done in his first season shouldn’t go unnoticed. On Sunday night, the Pelicans host the Laker in what will be a play-in tournament preview.
8. Detroit Pistons 39-31-1 (55%) ATS - The Pistons have reached the point in the season where they have become underrated. Detroit is 6-7 straight up in their last 13 games but during that time frame, they are 12-0-1 ATS. The Pistons have become a lock to cover spreads, all due to head coach Dwayne Casey being one of the better coaches in the league. At any rate, look for the Pistons to remain a good ATS value.
9. New York Knicks 34-37 (47% ) ATS - After last season’s success, many NBA fans and bettors thought the Knicks were back in contention. While, the Knicks have been fooling me for over two decades, they won’t anymore. New York is 7-5 ATS over the course of their last 12 games. Additionally, New York has done a good job covering spreads as the away team, covering in each of their last six road games. This week, they host Atlanta before going on the road to Charlotte, Miami, and Detroit.
10. Orlando Magic 33-39 (45%) ATS - Orlando takes the 10th and final spot in this week’s ATS rankings. Like the Pistons, Orlando has reached the part of the season where they have become an ATS value play on most nights as Orlando is 7-5 ATS and 6-6 on the Money Line in their last 12 games. This week, the Magic face OKC, Golden State and Sacramento.
