In Las Vegas, Sixers Rank 2nd best in NBA

The spread can be a wonderful thing sometimes (usually not for me). It levels the playing field and aims to give an equal value whether it be for the favorite of the underdog. The end goal for the oddsmakers is to have every team finish 41-41 against the spread. The Sixers are not being too kind in this regard.

As of the end of the games Monday night, the Sixers are the second best team against the spread in the entire league. Currently sitting/squatting at 15-7-1 (14-7-2 according to the lines used for the contest), the Sixers trail only the New York Knicks (17-7-1) for Vegas spread supremacy (VS2 if you want to sound cool - you don't).

Our very own Vegas Insider Jordan Sams confirmed these findings in an interview I made up for the purpose of this post.

"I can confirm that this is accurate," Sams may have said.

So what exactly does this mean? Well, for starters, it means if you've bet on the Sixers every game this year, you've made some quality cash/gwap/greenbacks. Now you can double up with that money by putting it all on the Phillies to win the World Series (if you did it before this morning, you probably got ridiculously good odds).

In less of a monetary sense and more of a basketball sense (!!!!!!!!!!), this shows that Sixers truly are not as bad as their overall record indicates. In covering 15 times out of 23, they are hanging with teams towards the very end of the losses and breaking away from opponents in wins.

This isn't exactly breaking news to those who watch the Sixers on a consistent basis but to the casual NBA fan who only looks at overall wins and losses, this stat is certainly telling. The Sixers' record against the spread is just confirming what we've witnessed all year; the Sixers are a good enough team that can hang on with just about anyone. Whether they close off just about anyone is a whole different story.

What's the best part about this? You can go up to all of your friends, co-workers, family, plumbers, antique shop owners and let them know that your Philadelphia 76ers have been the second most reliable team to bet on this year!

Hit the jump to see the entire standings of the NBA against the spread.

NBA Standings Against the Spread: Ordered by Times Covered

Knicks: 17-7-1

Sixers: 15-7-1

Spurs: 15-7-1

Jazz: 15-10-1

Mavericks: 14-8-2

Bulls: 14-9-0

Grizzlies: 14-10-1

Celtics: 13-9-1

Raptors: 13-10-1

Pacers: 12-10-1

Blazers: 12-11-2

Rockets: 12-11-0

Nets: 12-12-0

Pistons: 12-12-1

Thunder: 12-13-0

Heat: 12-13-1

Clippers: 12-13-0

Hornets: 11-11-2

Warriors: 11-13-0

Hawks: 11-14-0

T'Wolves: 10-14-0

Lakers: 10-14-0

Bobcats: 9-12-2

Wizards: 9-13-0

Suns: 9-13-1

Bucks: 9-13-1

Cavs: 9-14-1

Magic: 8-14-2

Nuggets: 8-14-1

Kings: 6-15-0