San Antonio Spurs vs. Phoenix Suns Betting Preview
Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, AZ
When: Thursday, December 15, 2016, 9:00 PM ET
Line: San Antonio Spurs (-8) at Phoenix Suns (+8); total: 210.5 – view all NBA lines
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Betting on the San Antonio Spurs (-8)
After losing three of their first four home games, the San Antonio Spurs appear once again as an intimidating force in the Southwest by winning their third-consecutive contest in San Antonio on Wednesday, edging out the Boston Celtics, 108-101.
As head coach Greg Popovich is wont to do, he rested a vital starter in that match in LaMarcus Aldridge, citing that the big man needed his rest that evening. And to nobody’s surprise, the Spurs quickly overcame the loss of Aldridge with flying colors by shooting 55 percent from the field and dishing out 33 assists against Boston.
Kawhi Leonard led the way with 26 points for San Antonio, but it was the team’s frontcourt that did a ton of heavy lifting to prevail with the victory. Pau Gasol finished with a solid double-double (17 points, 13 rebounds), and David Lee subbed in tremendously for Aldridge with 10 points and eight boards in 30 quality minutes of action.
Even though the Spurs have surrendered over a hundred points to their opponents in back-to-back games, they’re still ranked fourth in the NBA with an average of just 97.8 points allowed per contest. That patented San Antonio D must show up this Friday indeed because Phoenix is no slouch in the scoring department.
All things considered, though, the Spurs remain leagues ahead of the Suns chemistry- and talent-wise, and that’s really been the case for quite some time now. They’ve won seven-straight meetings against the Suns (4-2-1 ATS) since the start of the 2015 season, with all but two of those bouts having been won by 13 points or more.
Betting on the Phoenix Suns (+8)
What a huge 113-111 win in overtime it was for the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday over the New York Knicks. Phoenix has had more growing pains that triumphant moments this season, but a close victory such as this should provide a spark to this young team.
However, the Suns have an uphill battle ahead against the Spurs as they try to wrap up a three-game homestand on a high note. They’ll need every bit of contribution from their players at that, particularly from Eric Bledsoe. He’s been their most reliable producer on the floor this season, and he once again came up big with the go-ahead layup in Tuesday’s game.
Bledsoe finished with a superb stat line of 31 points (on 12-of-12 shooting from the free-throw line), eight boards and six assists. He was further aided with terrific frontcourt presence from Marquese Chriss and Tyson Chandler too, who combined for 35 of the Suns’ 61 rebounds against New York.
Although the Suns are currently third in rebounding and seventh in scoring, they also have the second-worst scoring defense in the league at over 113 points allowed per game, which is about six points more than what they’re putting up on a nightly basis. That leaky D will be surely tested on Friday night against a more fluid Spurs offense.
In general, wins for Phoenix have really been hard to come by this entire season. The team is just 3-6 over its last nine games (SU/ATS), with two of those three victories having been won by just two points apiece, including Wednesday’s nail-biter over the Knicks.
Writer’s Prediction
The Spurs (-8) drub the Suns, 108-92.
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