Two teams with contrasting performance expectations are set to meet tonight when the Suns bring their act to New York. Meanwhile, the Spurs swing to New Orleans in hopes of lengthening their winning streak at the expense of the injury-ridden Pelicans.
[sc:BettingArticlesShortcoder ]Sports Betting Preview for January 13
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For the first time in eight years, the Broncos advance to the AFC title game after squishing the Chargers 24-17.
NBA – Spurs Tame Visiting Timberwolves
Tim Duncan stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocks to lead the Spurs over Minnesota 104-86.
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NBA
Phoenix Suns vs. New York Knicks (January 13, 7:30 PM ET)
Jeff Hornacek is a rookie NBA coach and he doesn’t have a standout star player on his team. But Phoenix (21-15 SU) is reaping success that goes beyond most, if not all. As of now, the Suns sit at seventh place in the tough Western Conference.
The Suns have been powered by the lethal back court duo of Goran Gragic and Eric Bledsoe. The pair has been turning heads with their chemistry on the floor. However, Bledsoe went down with a knee injury, which will force him to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks. Perhaps that explains the Suns’ recent struggles, as they are only 2-4 SU in their last six games.
The Suns are coming off back-to-back losses but will be playing at Madison Square Garden tonight, where they were 2-1 SU and 3-0 ATS in their last 3 games there.
Odds: Suns (+3) vs. Knicks (-3), O/U: 198.5
For the majority of the season thus far, the Knicks (14-22 SU) are the opposite of the Suns – Knicks’ had high preseason projections but could not live up to it. However, it appears that the Knicks have turned a corner since the 2014 began.[sc:NBA240banner ]
This January, the Knicks are playing great basketball, going 4-1 SU with wins over teams like the Spurs and Miami. Noticeable in the Knicks’ surge is their increased effort on the defensive end. The Knicks are limiting opponents to just 89.7 PPG in the last three games. Also, against Miami on January 9th, the Knicks gave up just 92 points. The Heat’s season average for scoring is 104.3 PPG. The Knicks are 6-0 ATS in their last six games.
NBA
San Antonio Spurs vs. New Orleans Pelicans (January 13, 8:00 PM ET)
It was just another day at the office for the Spurs as they beat Minnesota 104-86 on Sunday night adding to their fourth win in a row. Though he was unable to neutralize the T’wolves big man Nikola Pekovic, Tim Duncan still put up numbers reminiscent of his MVP days. Duncan had stats keepers busy all night as he scored 15 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished out five assists, and swatted four shots.
Despite missing a couple of players in last night’s game with Manu Ginobili and Tiago Splitter both nursing injuries, San Antonio easily beat out the Timberwolves.
The Spurs hope to continue their win streak when they swing to New Orleans against the Pelicans, who they have dominated in recent meetings. The Spurs are 8-1 SU in their last nine games against New Orleans.
Odds: Spurs (-5.5) vs. Pelicans (+5.5), O/U: 200.0
The Pelicans have been slowed down by injuries to their major players, the latest of which to go down is starting point guard Jrue Holiday (leg).
Prior to Holiday, the Pelicans were also missing the services of Tyreke Evans (ankle) and Ryan Anderson (neck).
With a tattered lineup, the Pelicans are feeling the brunt offensively. The team’s season average is 101.6 PPG but it has gone down to 92.6 PPG in its last five games. Until the original starters return to full health, Anthony Davis (19.6 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 3.1 BPG) and Eric Gordon (16.1 PPG, 3.1 APG) will have to exert extra effort in leading the Pelicans.
Up against the dangerous San Antonio squad, the Pelicans have to dig deep into their reserves to remain competitive in the ballgame. New Orleans is 4-0 ATS in its last four home games against the Spurs.
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