NBA Knowledge
Hot teams
-- Pelicans won three of their last four games (4-7HF).
-- Clippers won 11 of last 12 games (3-2AU).
-- Cavaliers won nine of their last 11 games (7-5 last 12HF).
-- Memphis won five of its last six games (5-3AF).
-- Hawks won five of their last seven games (5-4AU).
-- Kings won their last three games (1-4 last five HF).
-- Spurs won their last eleven games (12-5AF).
Cold teams
-- Detroit lost three of last five games (7-6AU).
-- Denver lost last three games, by 3-7-6 points (5-2-1 last 8HU).
-- Suns are 1-14 in last 15 games, covering twice in last 8 games.
Series records
-- Pistons lost their last six games with New Orleans.
-- Clippers lost five of last seven games with Cleveland.
-- Grizzlies won five of last six games with Denver.
-- Hawks won last 10 games with Kings, covered last eight.
-- Spurs won their last five games with Phoenix.
Totals
-- Four of last five Detroit games went over total.
-- Three of last four Cleveland games stayed under.
-- Last five Memphis games went over the total.
-- Seven of last eight Atlanta-Sacramento games went over.
-- Last six San Antonio-Phoenix games stayed under.
Back/backs
-- Detroit is 0-4 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Cleveland is 2-5-1 vs spread if it played night before.
-- Hawks are 1-3 vs spread on road if they played nite before.
-- Kings are 6-3 vs spread if they played night before.
Armadillosports.com
NBA: Streaks, Tips, Notes
Sportspic.com
San Antonio Spurs at Phoenix Suns
Going back to the well is something that those in basketball betting have no problem doing, especially when it continues to offer up winning plays. In this case, the play involves streaking San Antonio Spurs against struggling Phoenix Suns.
San Antonio clicking on all cylinders have reeled off eleven straight victories (8-3 ATS) behind a stingy defense holding opponents to 92.2 per/contest with the offense dropping a whopping 109.7 points/game. On the other side, struggling Suns hit the court on a 1-14 (4-11 ATS) skid netting just 96.6 points/game while allowing opponents 109.3 per/contest.
The Spurs off a 112-83 hammering of Mavericks have shown a penchant for keeping pedal-to-metal as they're 11-4 ATS off a win with the margin of victory a solid 16.0 points/game. Spurs have also been great bets lately as double digit chalk cashing 12-of-15 tickets (12-3 ATS). Another positive for San Antonio backers, the Spurs have cashed 6-of-7 against the betting line as road favorites vs a team with a losing record including 3-0 ATS laying double digits.
As always, laying double digits is cause to ratchet up the tension for a sports handicapper. However, in this case, the numbers add up well enough to conclude that San Antonio is the right choice.
Thursday's NBA Essentials
By Tony Mejia
VegasInsider.com
Clippers at Cavaliers
While it was nice for the Cavs to break through with a win in Brooklyn to rid themselves of the stench from Monday’s 132-98 home loss to Golden State, they return to the scene of the crime. They’ll face an elite team again, giving them an opportunity to truly move forward.
LeBron James preached the need to ensure one loss not derail the bigger picture, but there’s no question the rout lingered. Cleveland altered its routine for the Nets game, hanging around the facility to watch film and air out grievances with one another. There were immediate results in Brooklyn, as Kevin Love rebounded from his worst game of the season against the Warriors (3 points, 6 boards) with one of his most productive (17 points, 18 boards).
Kyrie Irving played just 21 minutes against the Nets and hit four of seven shots, but he and Love will really be tested by Chris Paul and his pick-and-roll brilliance. Although Blake Griffin will remain out for L.A.’s next two games as he aims to return from a partially torn tendon in his left quad, the Clippers have won 11 of 12 games without him. They’re 9-3 ATS in those games, but were an underdog in only two contests, winning both outright. The Cavs are 15-2 at home, but just 8-9 against the number.
Cleveland swept this series last year and has lost to the Clippers only once at the Q since 2002-03. James has never lost to the Clips in the building.
Pistons at Pelicans (-1.5, 203.5)
New Orleans head coach Alvin Gentry has shown he won’t hesitate to utilize the Hack-a-Shaq strategy if it suits him, so we might get another dose of Andre Drummond missed free throws here.
The Pistons center went 13-for-36 from the line in Wednesday’s 123-114 win over the Rockets, playing just 23 minutes as head coach Stan Van Gundy felt he couldn’t have him out there anymore. Drummond, who leads the NBA averaging 15.0 rebounds per game, is an elite rim protector and a lock to make his first All-Star appearance, but he’s down to 35.5 percent from the charity stripe and needs to improve to keep from becoming a liability in helping teams hang around in games.
Detroit had lost three of four prior to last night’s victory in Houston, but has seen shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope really begin to break through. He’s scored 20 or more points six times in his last 10 games, the first time he’s done that in his entire pro career. He’ll likely be a problem for Tyreke Evans, who has returned after missing games due to knee pain, an issue he’s trying to play through. Fellow wing Eric Gordon has been lost four-to-six weeks after fracturing the ring finger on his shooting hand.
The Pelicans have won three of four games but have only beaten one team with a winning record all month. Anthony Davis comes off a 35-point game, his highest output since Nov. 28. New Orleans has won its last six against the Pistons, who they’ll see again in Auburn Hills on Feb. 21.
Grizzlies (-1.5, 194.5) at Nuggets
Memphis PG Mike Conley returned from a six-game absence due to an Achilles injury, dishing out 10 assists and scoring 16 in a 101-99 home win over the Pelicans. The Grizzlies will be playing on the road for the first time since Jan. 6 and have only won once in their last five away from Memphis. They’ve lost seven of nine to fall to 8-12 on the road this season, which includes a 9-10-1 mark ATS.
Despite just getting Conley back, the Griz have won five of six and will be favored on the road on Saturday at Minnesota in addition to being favored slightly here.
The Grizzlies are hoping to finally get into a groove in what’s been a rocky season by their standards. Between improved health and better on-floor chemistry, Memphis looks primed to make a run if it can take care of business on this short trip since it will return to face three teams with losing records at home to close out January.
Denver lost at Fed Ex Forum 91-84 on Jan. 8 in the first meeting between these teams. The Nuggets have won three of the last five outright and covered in four of the games, coming off a 110-104 home loss to OKC. Their last four games have all gone over the posted total. They’ve dropped five of the last six against the Grizzlies.
Hawks at Kings (-1, 218.5)
DeMarcus Cousins scored 36 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to record his eighth consecutive double-double. He’s notched nine in his last 10 games, averaging 30.6 points and 13.4 boards over a span that has produced six Kings’ victories. NBA assist leader Rajon Rondo dropped another 17 dimes and has a streak of at least 10 in nine consecutive games he’s played in. Rudy Gay has scored in double-figures in every game this month, shooting over 53 percent from the field and averaging 19.3 points. By every definition of the term, Sacramento has itself a Big Three.
The Thunder and Clippers are among the Kings’ victims this month, with those wins coming on the road. George Karl’s team will start a three-game home stretch against the Hawks and will be looking to even their record at 11-11 at Sleep Train Arena. Sacramento is 8-13 ATS at home.
Atlanta pulled out a 104-98 nationally-televised win at Portland on Wednesday night, increasing its Southeast Division lead to three games over slumping Miami. Paul Millsap and Kent Bazemore, the Hawks starting forwards, each scored 23 points on 15-for-25 shooting (60 pct). Every member of the team’s starting lineup connected on a 3-pointer as they ended up shooting 10-for-24 from beyond the arc.
The Hawks have won and covered in five of their last seven games. Neither PG Jeff Teague or Bazemore participated in Atlanta’s 103-97 home victory over the Kings on Nov. 18, covering a 2.5-point spread. It was the Hawks’ 15th consecutive victory over Sacramento, which will be trying to end a streak that dates back to 2008.
Spurs (-14, 200.5) at Suns
San Antonio puts its NBA-high 11-game winning streak on the line against Phoenix, a team it has already defeated twice, albeit at home. The Spurs won and covered in both wins, prevailing by a combined margin of 47 points. This will be the first leg of a back-to-back that continues at Staples Center against the lowly Lakers on Friday, so it remains to be seen how Gregg Popovich handles his rotation.
PG Tony Parker, who is nursing a sore right hip, has already been ruled out. Patty Mills will get the start, backed by third-year guard and D-League standout Ray McCallum.
As a road favorite of 9.5 or more, the Spurs are a perfect 4-0 straight up and against the spread, beating the Nets, Bucks, Timberwolves and 76ers by a combined margin of 128 points, which includes a 129-68 demolition of Philly but also features wins of 25 or more in the three other games. They take care of business against teams they’re expected to dominate. Though they failed to cover at home against the Cavs, San Antonio is 8-3 against the number during its current winning streak and 21-8-1 ATS over the last 30 since Nov. 21. While it’s not quite the run Atlanta went on last year, the Spurs have truly been impressive considering they’ve been favored in every single one of those games.
In fact, San Antonio has laid points in every single game this season except for a season-opening loss at Oklahoma City, which is remarkable in its own right. The Suns have only been favored once in their last 11 games and have lost 14 of 15. They’re 4-11 ATS in those contests.
Thursday's NBA Essentials
By Tony Mejia
VegasInsider.com
Clippers at Cavaliers
While it was nice for the Cavs to break through with a win in Brooklyn to rid themselves of the stench from Monday’s 132-98 home loss to Golden State, they return to the scene of the crime. They’ll face an elite team again, giving them an opportunity to truly move forward.
LeBron James preached the need to ensure one loss not derail the bigger picture, but there’s no question the rout lingered. Cleveland altered its routine for the Nets game, hanging around the facility to watch film and air out grievances with one another. There were immediate results in Brooklyn, as Kevin Love rebounded from his worst game of the season against the Warriors (3 points, 6 boards) with one of his most productive (17 points, 18 boards).
Kyrie Irving played just 21 minutes against the Nets and hit four of seven shots, but he and Love will really be tested by Chris Paul and his pick-and-roll brilliance. Although Blake Griffin will remain out for L.A.’s next two games as he aims to return from a partially torn tendon in his left quad, the Clippers have won 11 of 12 games without him. They’re 9-3 ATS in those games, but were an underdog in only two contests, winning both outright. The Cavs are 15-2 at home, but just 8-9 against the number.
Cleveland swept this series last year and has lost to the Clippers only once at the Q since 2002-03. James has never lost to the Clips in the building.
Pistons at Pelicans (-1.5, 203.5)
New Orleans head coach Alvin Gentry has shown he won’t hesitate to utilize the Hack-a-Shaq strategy if it suits him, so we might get another dose of Andre Drummond missed free throws here.
The Pistons center went 13-for-36 from the line in Wednesday’s 123-114 win over the Rockets, playing just 23 minutes as head coach Stan Van Gundy felt he couldn’t have him out there anymore. Drummond, who leads the NBA averaging 15.0 rebounds per game, is an elite rim protector and a lock to make his first All-Star appearance, but he’s down to 35.5 percent from the charity stripe and needs to improve to keep from becoming a liability in helping teams hang around in games.
Detroit had lost three of four prior to last night’s victory in Houston, but has seen shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope really begin to break through. He’s scored 20 or more points six times in his last 10 games, the first time he’s done that in his entire pro career. He’ll likely be a problem for Tyreke Evans, who has returned after missing games due to knee pain, an issue he’s trying to play through. Fellow wing Eric Gordon has been lost four-to-six weeks after fracturing the ring finger on his shooting hand.
The Pelicans have won three of four games but have only beaten one team with a winning record all month. Anthony Davis comes off a 35-point game, his highest output since Nov. 28. New Orleans has won its last six against the Pistons, who they’ll see again in Auburn Hills on Feb. 21.
Grizzlies (-1.5, 194.5) at Nuggets
Memphis PG Mike Conley returned from a six-game absence due to an Achilles injury, dishing out 10 assists and scoring 16 in a 101-99 home win over the Pelicans. The Grizzlies will be playing on the road for the first time since Jan. 6 and have only won once in their last five away from Memphis. They’ve lost seven of nine to fall to 8-12 on the road this season, which includes a 9-10-1 mark ATS.
Despite just getting Conley back, the Griz have won five of six and will be favored on the road on Saturday at Minnesota in addition to being favored slightly here.
The Grizzlies are hoping to finally get into a groove in what’s been a rocky season by their standards. Between improved health and better on-floor chemistry, Memphis looks primed to make a run if it can take care of business on this short trip since it will return to face three teams with losing records at home to close out January.
Denver lost at Fed Ex Forum 91-84 on Jan. 8 in the first meeting between these teams. The Nuggets have won three of the last five outright and covered in four of the games, coming off a 110-104 home loss to OKC. Their last four games have all gone over the posted total. They’ve dropped five of the last six against the Grizzlies.
Hawks at Kings (-1, 218.5)
DeMarcus Cousins scored 36 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to record his eighth consecutive double-double. He’s notched nine in his last 10 games, averaging 30.6 points and 13.4 boards over a span that has produced six Kings’ victories. NBA assist leader Rajon Rondo dropped another 17 dimes and has a streak of at least 10 in nine consecutive games he’s played in. Rudy Gay has scored in double-figures in every game this month, shooting over 53 percent from the field and averaging 19.3 points. By every definition of the term, Sacramento has itself a Big Three.
The Thunder and Clippers are among the Kings’ victims this month, with those wins coming on the road. George Karl’s team will start a three-game home stretch against the Hawks and will be looking to even their record at 11-11 at Sleep Train Arena. Sacramento is 8-13 ATS at home.
Atlanta pulled out a 104-98 nationally-televised win at Portland on Wednesday night, increasing its Southeast Division lead to three games over slumping Miami. Paul Millsap and Kent Bazemore, the Hawks starting forwards, each scored 23 points on 15-for-25 shooting (60 pct). Every member of the team’s starting lineup connected on a 3-pointer as they ended up shooting 10-for-24 from beyond the arc.
The Hawks have won and covered in five of their last seven games. Neither PG Jeff Teague or Bazemore participated in Atlanta’s 103-97 home victory over the Kings on Nov. 18, covering a 2.5-point spread. It was the Hawks’ 15th consecutive victory over Sacramento, which will be trying to end a streak that dates back to 2008.
Spurs (-14, 200.5) at Suns
San Antonio puts its NBA-high 11-game winning streak on the line against Phoenix, a team it has already defeated twice, albeit at home. The Spurs won and covered in both wins, prevailing by a combined margin of 47 points. This will be the first leg of a back-to-back that continues at Staples Center against the lowly Lakers on Friday, so it remains to be seen how Gregg Popovich handles his rotation.
PG Tony Parker, who is nursing a sore right hip, has already been ruled out. Patty Mills will get the start, backed by third-year guard and D-League standout Ray McCallum.
As a road favorite of 9.5 or more, the Spurs are a perfect 4-0 straight up and against the spread, beating the Nets, Bucks, Timberwolves and 76ers by a combined margin of 128 points, which includes a 129-68 demolition of Philly but also features wins of 25 or more in the three other games. They take care of business against teams they’re expected to dominate. Though they failed to cover at home against the Cavs, San Antonio is 8-3 against the number during its current winning streak and 21-8-1 ATS over the last 30 since Nov. 21. While it’s not quite the run Atlanta went on last year, the Spurs have truly been impressive considering they’ve been favored in every single one of those games.
In fact, San Antonio has laid points in every single game this season except for a season-opening loss at Oklahoma City, which is remarkable in its own right. The Suns have only been favored once in their last 11 games and have lost 14 of 15. They’re 4-11 ATS in those contests.
Game of the Day: Clippers at Cavaliers
By Covers.com
Los Angeles Clippers at Cleveland Cavaliers (-6, 202)
The last time the Cleveland Cavaliers were on their home floor, they were embarrassed in an NBA Finals rematch. After letting out some frustration on the road, the Cavaliers return to Quicken Loans Arena on Thursday to begin a four-game homestand against the red-hot Los Angeles Clippers.
Kevin Love had 17 points and 18 rebounds in a 91-78 win at Brooklyn as Cleveland recovered from its stunning 34-point loss to the Golden State Warriors on Monday, which snapped a six-game home winning streak. The win over the hapless Nets comes amid a challenging stretch of opponents for the Cavaliers, including the Clippers, who have won 10 of 11 after a wild 140-132 overtime win against Houston on Monday. J.J. Redick hit nine 3-pointers - tied for the franchise record - en route to a career-high 40 points as Los Angeles rebounded from its first loss since Dec. 21. Cleveland claimed both meetings last season and has won 19 of the last 25, as well as 12 of 13 at home.
LINE HISTORY: The Cavaliers opened as 5-point favorites, were bet up to -5.5 and currently sit -6. The total opened at 202.
INJURY REPORT:
Clippers - PF B. Griffin (out Thursday, quadricep).
Cavaliers - No injuries to report.
POWER RANKINGS: Clippers (-7.7) - Cavaliers (-8.5) + home court (-3) = Cavaliers -3.8
WHAT SHARPS SAY: "The good news for the Cavs is that they will have plenty of chances to atone for Monday's massacre. They have a league-high 25 home games left on the schedule, but it's a tough one Thursday when they welcome the Clippers to town. Since a subpar start to the season (were only 7-8 SU), the Clips have won 20 of their last 26 games, outscoring their opponents by more than seven points per 100 possessions." - Covers Expert Power Sports.
WHAT BOOKS SAY: "We opened the Cavs as 5-point faves early this morning versus the Clippers and quickly went to -5.5 with action coming in heavy on the Cavs to cover at home. We have since moved to Cavs -6 with 52 percent of the action coming in on the Cavs. We opened the total at 201 and quickly went to 202 after a flood of action on the over, we currently sit with over 95 percent of the action on the over. I can see us moving this total up to 205 or even 206 by game time tonight." - Michael Stewart of CarbonGaming.ag.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (27-14, 19-19-3 ATS, 20-21 O/U): Doc Rivers' squad recently went 5-0 on a road trip that ignited its current 11-1 run, but the opponents left something to be desired; all five entered Wednesday's action with losing records. This trek features four of the top five teams in the Eastern Conference and the quintet has a combined home mark of 69-29. "I'm looking forward to the challenge," Rivers told the media. "This is a good road trip, because it's hard. ... The teams we're going out to play don't lose a lot at home, so it's going to be a hard trip for us."
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (29-11, 17-21-2 ATS, 18-22 O/U): Love and LeBron James (17 points, five assists) both got to sit out the entire fourth quarter in Brooklyn, which allowed them a little extra rest in advance of what will be the team's fifth game in eight days. James' minutes have been reduced in each of the last four games and he has fallen short of 20 points in three straight contests for the first time since his rookie season. The superstar has shot 44.5 percent from the floor in 23 games against the Clippers, his lowest mark against any NBA team.
TRENDS:
* Clippers are 5-0 ATS in their last five road games.
* Cavaliers are 1-4-1 ATS in thier last six games when playing the second half of a back-to-back.
* Under is 7-1 in Clippers last 8 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Under is 5-0 in Cavaliers last 5 games when playing the second half of a back-to-back.
CONSENSUS: Bettors are siding with the home side in this matchup, with 64 percent of wagers on the Cavaliers. As for the total, the early bettors are on the Over.
Thursday's Top Action
By Sportsbook.ag
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (27-14) at CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (29-11)
Sportsbook.ag Line: Cleveland -6.5, 202
Both the Clippers and Cavaliers will be going for their second straight victories when the teams meet in Cleveland on Thursday.
The Clippers most recently faced the Rockets in Los Angeles and came away with a 140-132 victory. They shot an incredible 51.6% from the floor and will need a similar type of effort in order to defeat a very good Cavaliers team.
Cleveland, meanwhile, responded to its blowout loss against the Warriors with a 91-78 victory as a 12.5-point favorite in Brooklyn on Wednesday. The Cavs have now won two of their past three games SU and have covered in three of their past four.
The last time these two teams met was Feb. 5, 2015, and the Cavaliers won that game 105-94 as four-point favorites in Cleveland. They are 3-1 both SU and ATS against the Clippers over the past three seasons and an impressive 15-3 SU and 12-5 ATS versus them in Cleveland since 1996. One trend that sticks out in this game is that the Cavaliers are an impressive 11-5 ATS when playing against teams with a winning record on the year. They are also 4-1 ATS versus teams that shoot 46% or better from the field this season.
PF Blake Griffin (Quad) is doubtful for this game, but he is expected to return shortly for Los Angeles. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, will be entering this one at full strength.
The Clippers are coming off of a big victory over the Rockets and will now turn their attention to the Cavaliers. PG Chris Paul (18.2 PPG, 9.6 APG, 2.1 SPG) is averaging 21.6 PPG, 9.8 APG and 3.2 SPG over the past five contests. He had 28 points and 12 assists against the Rockets on Monday and has really raised his game with Griffin out of the lineup. He’ll need to be extremely aggressive in his matchup with Kyrie Irving on Thursday.
SG J.J. Redick (16.6 PPG) is on fire coming into this contest and will be counted on to continue scoring for Los Angeles. He had a career-high 40 points in 39 minutes against the Rockets on Monday and is shooting 55.6% from the outside over the past five contests. If he can continue to knock down outside shots then it will take pressure off of his teammates.
C DeAndre Jordan (11.7 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 2.4 BPG) coming back was a major spark for the Clippers against the Rockets. He had 16 points, 15 boards and two blocks in 41 minutes that game and did not show many signs of weakness after dealing with pneumonia the past two weeks. Jordan will need to own the glass and protect the rim against the Cavs on Thursday.
The Cavaliers looked awful in their meeting with the Warriors two games ago, but they bounced back to defeat the Nets on Wednesday. One thing that is working in the Cavaliers’ favor is that SF LeBron James (25.1 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.4 SPG) has played fewer minutes in the past two contests. James played just 29 minutes in a win over the Nets on Wednesday and he played 33 in the loss to Golden State on Monday. He is playing 35.7 MPG this season, so perhaps he will enter this one fresh. The Cavaliers need him to be on his game against the Clippers in this game.
PG Kyrie Irving (15.8 PPG) will also need to play well for Cleveland. He is really struggling recently, averaging just 8.5 PPG over the past two contests. He is 7-for-18 in those games and must shoot better and just be more active overall for the Cavaliers.
PF Kevin Love (15.6 PPG, 10.9 RPG) was excellent in Cleveland’s win over Brooklyn on Wednesday. He had 17 points and 18 boards after having just three points against Golden State on Monday. The Cavaliers will continue to work to get him more touches moving forward and he’ll need to have a big game against the Clippers on Thursday.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS (36-6) at PHOENIX SUNS (13-30)
Sportsbook.ag Line: San Antonio -16, Total: 201.5
The Spurs will be going for their 12th straight victory when they face a struggling Suns team in Phoenix on Thursday.
San Antonio has been one of the best teams in basketball this season and its 112-83 victory over Dallas on Jan. 17 was its 11th straight victory. The Spurs’ offense has been top notch over the course of this winning streak, as the team has shot 50% or better from the field in six of its past 11 games. If it can stay hot then there is not much of a chance that this Phoenix team can win.
The Suns have been miserable over the past month, winning just two of their past 18 games. They did cover in a 97-94 loss as 5.5-point underdogs against the Pacers on Tuesday, but it was their only cover in the past five games.
In two meetings between these teams on the year, San Antonio has won by an average of 23.5 points. The Spurs are 8-2 SU and 5-4 ATS over the past three seasons when facing the Suns, but Phoenix is 2-2 both SU and ATS when hosting San Antonio in this matchup. San Antonio is a remarkable 18-5 ATS after two straight games giving up 10 or less offensive rebounds this season. The team is also 9-1 ATS when playing only its fifth game in five days on the year.
PG Tony Parker (Hip) is expected to miss this game for San Antonio and PF Jon Leuer (Back), PF Mirza Teletovic (Ankle) and PF Markieff Morris (Shoulder) are all questionable for Phoenix.
The Spurs are the hottest team in basketball at the moment and they have a golden opportunity to keep their winning streak alive against a lousy Suns team. One guy that will be given a bulk of the touches for San Antonio in this game is SF Kawhi Leonard (20.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.0 SPG). Leonard is averaging 21.5 PPG on 60.7% shooting in two meetings with the Suns this season and Phoenix just doesn’t have an answer for him on either end of the floor.
PF LaMarcus Aldridge (16.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG) will also get a ton of looks in this game. Aldridge had 21 points and 12 boards in his only meeting with Phoenix this season and he has been playing extremely well as of late. Aldridge has scored 22 or more points in three of the past four contests and he is shooting 54.7% from the field over the past five. Phoenix is depleted at the power forward position due to injury and Aldridge should be able to feast inside in this one.
While the Spurs are one of the league’s hottest teams, the Suns are one of the league’s coldest. The one good thing for this Phoenix group is that SG Devin Booker (8.7 PPG) is seeing extended minutes and he has really thrived in them. Booker had a career night against the Pacers on Tuesday, finishing with 32 points in 40 minutes of action. He is shooting 44.6% from the outside this season and the Suns will need to get him some touches in good spots on Thursday.
Phoenix will also need a superb game from PG Brandon Knight (19.7 PPG, 5.1 APG) if it is going to have any shot at winning here. Knight is averaging 20.8 PPG over the past four contests, but he is shooting just 25.9% from the outside in those games. If he does not find his shooting stroke then it is extremely unlikely that the Suns can keep this game close against one of the league’s elite teams.