2024 NBA odds: Best and worst teams against the spread

The 2023-24 NBA regular season concluded Sunday and the playoffs are mere days away.

As basketball bettors, it’s a good time to reflect on the year's betting results. Every season, a couple of teams surprise, while others disappoint.

A team that performs well against the spread (ATS) consistently rises to a level higher than the oddsmakers (and bettors) give them credit for. While that doesn’t always translate into straight-up (SU) wins, it does translate into being a scrappy, profitable team that turns its backers into winners.

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And with that in mind, one of those scrappy, profitable teams this season was the Orlando Magic.

At 51-31 ATS, they were not only the best team in the league against the spread, they were a surprising 47-35 SU and tops in the Southeast Division.

Plain and simple, the Magic helped a ton of bettors cash in on a nightly basis.

Expected to finish under .500, they were a surprising bunch led by All-Star Paolo Banchero. A team with a preseason win total of 37.5 bested that mark by 9.5 wins.

Finishing a close second were the Philadelphia 76ers, who ended the season 48-33-1 ATS and 47-35 SU. This result comes as a surprise considering their best player and reigning MVP Joel Embiid missed 43 games while dealing with various injuries, in addition to the early season trade of James Harden.

However, the emergence of All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey helped keep Philly profitable ATS and only a half-game off of its preseason win total of 47.5.

Philadelphia ended the season as the 7-seed, and will play the Miami Heat in the play-in tournament.

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The distinction of worst team ATS goes to the Atlanta Hawks.

At 29-53 ATS, the Hawks proved disappointing for a squad coming off a first-round playoff loss last season, as they finished 36-46 SU. They entered the season with a projected win total of 42.5, falling short of that mark.

Four of the five best teams ATS (Magic, Sixers, Mavericks, Rockets, Thunder) made the playoffs. Will their regular-season betting success translate to playoff wins for bettors?

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