NBA Power Rankings - The Usual Suspects

NBA Power Rankings:  Cleveland Still on Top but Lakers are Close

The Cleveland Cavaliers are still the top team in the BetUS NBA Power Rankings but the Los Angeles Lakers are closer than some gamblers might think.

Both teams flexed their muscles this past weekend with the Cavs destroying the San Antonio Spurs at home on Sunday and the Lakers handing it to the Houston Rockets on Friday night.

Let’s take a look at the power rankings:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers 46-31 ATS - - Their victory over the San Antonio Spurs, where they covered a 6 point spread by beating the Spurs by 20, says that they are still the best wager in the NBA.  They just don’t lose a lot of games.  At home they are pretty much automatic having lost only once at home straight-up to the Los Angeles Lakers.  They should continue to excel on their home court.

2. Los Angeles Lakers 39-37 ATS - - The Lakers can’t get onto a serious streak against the spread for some reason.  They do some fantastic things but then lose ATS.  Case in point?  Against Houston last Friday night the Lakers were favored by 5 ½ and ended up winning by 12 points.  But last week they were also favored by 7 over Milwaukee but won by only 6.  It can be hit or miss with L.A. but they still deserve this ranking because they keep winning games straight-up.

3. Orlando Magic 48-27-1 ATS - - The 116 to 87 pasting Orlando put onto the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night was a thing of beauty.  Then, Orlando came back and covered on the road on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks.  That’s two covers against two terrific ATS teams in a row.  Those gamblers who feel that the Magic deserve the number one ranking won’t get much of an argument from me.

4. Boston Celtics 40-37 ATS - - Even with KG on the bench until the playoffs, the Celtics have been playing very well ATS going 3 and 1 in their last 4 games.  This is a solid team.  The 104 to 92 victory at home against the Hawks in their last, as a 4 ½ point underdog, was a gritty ATS victory against a tough team.

5. Houston Rockets 36-39-1 ATS - - There were moments in their loss over the Lakers when the Rockets looked like they might actually come back and at least beat the spread as 5 ½ point underdogs.  But it didn’t turn out that way.  Another test occurs on April 7th, Tuesday night, when they have to take on Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic.  Will the Rockets respond and reward their backers?  Or will Howard and the Magic take Yao and the Rockets to school.  We shall see.

6. Utah Jazz 37-39 ATS - - As a 2 ½ point underdog in New Orleans on Sunday, the Jazz finally came through with the type of game that makes believers out of gamblers.  They beat the Hornets by 18 points, 100 to 82, and showed the rest of the NBA that they can win on the road.  They’re going to have to in the playoffs because they aren’t going to get home court against the Lakers.

7. Denver Nuggets 42-34-1 ATS - - The Nuggets have covered in three games in a row.  One of those games, against the Utah Jazz, showed that they can play a top team and bring home profits.  They faced daunting spreads in their other two covers, against the Los Angeles Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves, 15 and 7 points respectively, so the Nuggets are doing their job right now.

8. Dallas Mavericks 37-40 ATS - - The Mavericks broke a two game losing streak against the spread in Sunday when they handed it to the Phoenix Suns 140 to 116.  We’re going to have to wait until April 8th to find out if the Mavs begin another losing streak or carry that terrific victory over the Suns into an actual winning streak.

9. Atlanta Hawks 41-35-1 ATS - - After performing phenomenally ATS, the Hawks have hit a rough patch. They’ve lost their last three games against the spread.  I believe they’ve got a shot to turn that around because their next three games are against Toronto Milwaukee and Indiana.

10. San Antonio Spurs 37-37-2 ATS - - Yes, the Spurs were pummeled by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday but they’ve got games coming up against Oklahoma City, Sacramento and Golden State on the road and Utah and Portland at home.  They could sweep all four games against the spread.