NBA In the Paint: January 29th

With the mid-season point having come and gone, it's a good time to take stock of what's been happening in the Association in recent weeks. Here's a quick look at four teams and where they stand entering the month of February.

Raptors Rolling

The Toronto Raptors have reeled off six wins in their last seven games, both straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS), providing a glimmer of hope for a fan base that has endured a tough 14-32 SU season. The Raptors will have the benefit of playing four of their next five games at home, offering a potential boost to their momentum. Despite their overall struggles, they’ve been a strong bet this season, sitting at 27-18-1 ATS, including an 11-11-1 ATS mark away from home, where they have managed just three outright wins in 22 games. Encouragingly, Toronto has one of the easier schedules in the league from here on out by most metrics.

Thunder storm

The Oklahoma City Thunder have been one of the NBA’s best teams for much of the season but have hit a rough patch recently, dropping four of their last five games ATS while going a modest 3-2 SU over that stretch. A turnaround could be imminent as they wrap up a road trip against the Warriors on Tuesday before returning home for four consecutive games. Interestingly, their recent ATS slump matches the total number of ATS losses they suffered from December 3rd through January 16th, a sign of how dominant they had been prior to this dip.

Picking up the pace

The Indiana Pacers didn’t get off to the start they had hoped for this season but have found their rhythm of late, winning nine of their last 11 games both SU and ATS. The Pacers will play two home games this week before embarking on a four-game western road trip. While they’ve been solid at home with a record five games above .500, their road performance has been more even at 13-13 SU. Maintaining their recent surge will be key as they look to solidify their playoff positioning.

Feeling the Heat
With Jimmy Butler serving as a major distraction, the Miami Heat have struggled to find consistency, sitting at just 23-22 SU this season. However, they have shown signs of life with consecutive wins over the Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic. After hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, Miami will head out on a four-game road trip. Bettors have had little success backing the Heat lately, as they’ve gone just 9-14 ATS over their last 23 contests, making them one of the league’s worst bets since early December. Finding stability will be crucial if Miami hopes to make a late-season push.