The following NBA betting trends are a collection of analytical data, betting systems and strength ratings featured on VSiN and qualified for the NBA playoff game on 6/8. This report is meant to emulate the process that Steve Makinen and other members of the VSiN Analytics team undergo when handicapping each day’s NBA board.

AJ’s Angles

These are the top MLB betting trends and systems for today’s games, handpicked by VSiN Analyst AJ Makinen.

Winners cover, period – Over the last 12 seasons, and 70 games, outright winners have gone 64-3-3 ATS (95.5%) in the NBA Finals.

The team that wins Game 2 in the last 11 NBA Finals series has gone just 4-9 SU and ATS (30.8%) in Game 3. All nine of the losses were by 9 points or more as well.
Trend Match (FADE): NEW YORK (-2.5 vs SAS)

NBA teams playing at HOME in 2DaysRest scenario were 33-10 OVER the total vs. teams in 3rdin8+Days games since start of last season
System Match (PLAY OVER): SAS-NYK (o/u at 215.5)

General Trends

Favorites on a recent surge – NBA Finals favorites are on a surge of 21-11 SU and 18-13-1 ATS (58.1%) in the last 32 Finals’ games. In the 10 games prior to that, they were just 1-8-1 ATS.
Trend Match (PLAY): NEW YORK (-2.5 vs SAS)

Winners cover, period – Over the last 12 seasons, and 70 games, outright winners have gone 64-3-3 ATS (95.5%) in the NBA Finals.

Totals leaning Under of late – In the 77 NBA Finals games since 2013, there have been 30 Overs, 45 Unders and two ties, although Under is on a 31-13-1 (70.5%) run in the last 45 games.
Trend Match (PLAY UNDER): SAS-NYK (o/u at 215.5)

Trends by Line Range

Small home favorites have been vulnerable – Again like the conference finals, the record of the last 18 small home favorites (-4 points or less) in the NBA Finals is just 6-12 SU and ATS (33.3%). The last play on this was between Dallas and Boston in 2024 and the Mavericks (-3) lost outright 106-99.
Trend Match (FADE): NEW YORK (-2.5 vs SAS)

Trends by Game Number

Game 3s have been a momentum squelcher – The team that wins Game 2 in the last 11 NBA Finals series has gone just 4-9 SU and ATS (30.8%) in Game 3. All nine of the losses were by 9 points or more as well.
Trend Match (FADE): NEW YORK (-2.5 vs SAS)

Trends by Seed Number

#2 seeds have been the worst betting option of any seed – The record of #2 seeds in the NBA Finals since 2014 is 16-24 SU and 15-24-1 ATS (38.5%). The worst spot in this trend is after losses, 6-12-1 ATS in the last 19.
Trend Match (FADE): SAN ANTONIO (+2.5 at NYK)

Teams seeded 3rd or worse have been great late-series options – The last four NBA Finals series have featured one of the teams playing as a seed of 3rd or worse. These teams have been gold in games 3 and later of their respective series’ going 12-11 SU and 14-9 ATS (60.9%), although Indiana was 2-3 SU and ATS last June.
Trend Match (PLAY): NEW YORK (-2.5 vs SAS)

Schedule Situations Crucial for NBA Handicapping

The following is an expanded version of the article published in this year’s VSiN NBA Betting Guide, detailing scheduling situations in which teams have shown definitive patterns over the last few seasons. Typically, there are reasons that teams perform at varying levels based upon their schedules, whether that be from the amount of rest they’ve gotten before a game, how fatigued they are from a string of games, or how they deal with injuries/workloads based upon the schedule pressures.

NBA teams playing on the road in 2 Days Rest scenario are 31-52 SU and 31-49-3 ATS vs. teams in 3rd in 8+ Days games over the last four Seasons
System Match (FADE): SAN ANTONIO (+2.5 at NYK)

NBA teams playing at home in 2 Days Rest scenario were 33-10 Over the total vs. teams in 3rd in 8+ Days games since the start of last season
System Match (PLAY OVER): SAS-NYK (o/u at 215.5)

Here are the top head-to-head series trends in play for today’s game:

(505) SAN ANTONIO at (506) NEW YORK
* Underdogs are 6-5 SU but 9-2 ATS in the last 11 of the Knicks-Spurs non-conference set
Trend Match (PLAY): SAN ANTONIO (+2.5 at NYK)
* Under the total has converted in the last three matchups as well
Trend Match (PLAY UNDER): SAS-NYK (o/u at 215.5)

NBA Extreme Stats Next Game Systems

These systems search for extreme statistical performances in NBA games and detail the results of the follow-up game for the teams. These systems are from the last five seasons unless noted.

NO QUALIFYING EXTREME STATS SYSTEMS TODAY

NBA Streak Systems

The following handicapping information details betting systems for teams on winning or losing streaks of at least four games in the NBA.

NBA Streak Betting System #15:
Teams reaching an 8-game winning streak have become profitable fade opportunities, going 88-113-1 ATS (43.8%) in the next game.
System Match (FADE): NEW YORK (-2.5 vs SAS)

Strategies Using NBA DraftKings Betting Splits Data

One of the most touted features on the VSiN.com website, and a feature that we believe to be a fantastic resource for bettors. is the betting splits pages. These are the pages that we have built utilizing the data that DraftKings so graciously provides to us, detailing the breakdowns of the money and ticket splits for point spreads, money lines, and totals. In an article published on the VSiN.com website on opening day, Steve Makinen outlined 14 different systematic strategies for successfully using the DK Betting Splits Data that were developed in the last three seasons. Here are the systems and qualifying plays for today’s game as of 11:15 AM ET. These can AND WILL change, so continue to track and qualify the systems up until tip-off for best usage.

To summarize the findings from the first half data of the 2025-26 season, the sample contained 633 games, and for the most part, to summarize, majority bettors have lost on all six point spread, money line, and total categories. In fact, this has been the worst half-season they have endured since I started studying this subject a few years ago. Here are the results:

– Majority handle on point spreads: 291-335 ATS (46.5%), -77.5 units – ROI: -12.4%
– Majority number of bets on point spreads: 287-323 ATS (47%), -68.3 units – ROI: -11.2%
– Majority handle on money lines: 379-247 (60.5%). -123.2 units – ROI: -20.2%
– Majority number of bets on money lines: 404-227 (64%). -113.7 units – ROI: -18%
– Majority handle on totals: 306-310 (49.7%). -35 units – ROI: -5.7%
– Majority number of bets on totals: 307-318 (49.1%), -42.8 units – ROI: -6.8%

DK NBA Betting Splits system #1: When 63% or more of the handle was on the side of a HOME TEAM playing as a 4-point favorite or less (or as an underdog) on ATS wager, this “super” majority group has gone 211-174 ATS (54.8%) over the last 3+ seasons, good for +19.6 units of profit and a ROI of 5.1%. This is a fairly profitable system that the public seems to get right consistently.  If you see nearly 2/3 of the handle backing a host in an expected competitive NBA game this season, it’s a solid bet to follow it.
System Match (PLAY): NEW YORK (-2.5 vs SAS)

DK NBA Betting Splits system #4: In another somewhat rare situation, when there was a majority handle backing the team with fewer wins on the season in the NBA over the last 3+ seasons, that group produced a 456-412 ATS record (52.5%), good for +2.8 units of profit and an ROI of 0.3%. This is another system that has dropped a bit this season but has still outperformed the normal levels by a decent amount. We’ll see if it can stay positive in the second half of the season.
System Match (SLIGHT PLAY): NEW YORK (-2.5 vs SAS)

DK NBA Betting Splits system #6: In NBA non-Conference games (East versus West) of the last 3+ seasons, DK super majority handle groups of 62% or greater have been mildly successful, as they are 461-417 ATS (52.5%). If you consider that the overall majority numbers showed just over a 50% success rate, they were about 2.5% improved on these more-rare contests. This simple angle has produced +2.3 units of profit and an ROI of 0.3%.
System Match (SLIGHT PLAY): NEW YORK (-2.5 vs SAS)

DK NBA Betting Splits system #10: Majority handle money line wagerers have struggled in each of the last three PLAYOFF seasons, with handle majorities going 149-110 for -44.87 units and a ROI of -18%. Compare this to the usual ML return of just over -5% and you can see bettors are losing on a lot of favorite plays.
System Match (FADE): SAN ANTONIO ML (+110 at NYK)

DK NBA Betting Splits system #13: The average NBA game total since January of 2023 has been a bit more than 228. In NBA games with “low” totals, or those less than 220, majority handle bettors have gone an impressive 408-345 (54.2%), while majority number of bets groups are a bit less at 398-359 (52.6%). Both groups have proven profitable regardless of which side of the total they have chosen.
System Match (PLAY): OVER – SAS-NYK (o/u at 215.5)

Embed from Getty Images

Today’s NBA Strength Ratings

The following NBA betting trends are taken from today’s MAKINEN DAILY RATINGS page under the NBA tab on VSiN.com. Listed by team, current line, and difference between rating and current line (in parentheses).

Today’s UNDERPRICED FAVORITE according to the Makinen POWER RATINGS projections:
Ratings Match: NEW YORK -2.5 (+0.8)

Today’s UNDERPRICED FAVORITE according to the Makinen EFFECTIVE STRENGTH RATINGS projections:
Ratings Match: NEW YORK -2.5 (+1.2)

Today’s TOTAL PROJECTION FAVORING OVER according to the Makinen EFFECTIVE STRENGTH RATINGS projections:
Ratings Match: SAS-NYK OVER 215.5 (+0.4)

Today’s UNDERPRICED FAVORITE according to the Makinen BETTORS RATINGS projections:
Ratings Match: NEW YORK -2.5 (+0.4)

Today’s TOTAL PROJECTION FAVORING OVER according to the Makinen BETTORS RATINGS projections:
Ratings Match: SAS-NYK OVER 215.5 (+0.3)

The post Steve Makinen’s NBA Betting Trends and Best Bets for Spurs vs. Knicks Game 3, Monday, June 8 appeared first on VSiN.