The Spurs haven’t lost a game since Christmas and are owners of the longest current winning streak in the association at 11 games. It’s been quite a different story for the Suns, who have lost 13 of 14 after dropping all three games on a just completed road trip.
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SCHEDULING
After extending their homecourt winning streak to 24 games with a 112-83 win over Dallas on Sunday, the Spurs have three days off between games before starting a road trip in Phoenix. San Antonio plays a back-to-back set with a game in Los Angeles against the Lakers on Friday. The biggest game of the trip is the finale when the top teams in the NBA hook up on Monday in Northern California. The Spurs are mere mortals when playing on the road, going 12-6 SU and ATS. San Antonio hasn’t lost since Christmas, going 11-0 SU and 8-3 ATS, and shouldn’t overlook the Suns and Lakers in the first two games of this road trip ahead of the matchup with Golden State on Monday.
The Suns started the season with the toxic cloud of Markieff Morris’ disenchantment hanging over their heads, but they still managed a decent 7-5 start. Their season came off the rails with Eric Bledsoe’s season-ending knee injury, losing 10 of 11 since he went down. It’s not that the Suns are losing. That was pretty much expected. The least they can do is not embarrass themselves. We’ll see if they put up a fight during a home-stand that features two Eastern Conference competitors along with the Spurs.
INJURIES
Tony Parker left San Antonio’s last game after experiencing soreness in his right hip. He missed two games last week due to pain in the same hip, and although the Spurs gave no official word on his condition, his removal was likely a precautionary measure.
Ronnie Price is expected to miss about three weeks after undergoing surgery to remove a bone fragment in his toe. He wasn’t expected to be a fixture in the Suns’ rotation but his play, particularly on defense, made him a regular. He was seeing a more expanded role after Bledsoe was lost for the season. Also, center Alex Len is expected to return to the lineup after missing the team’s three-game road trip with a sprained hand.
KEY MATCHUP
There are those who wondered how LaMarcus Aldridge would handle the Spurs’ team approach to offense after nine seasons as The Man in Portland. He would have to sacrifice his stats in order to join the Spurs. His scoring average would drop, he would have to take fewer shots, and his string of four consecutive All-Star berths would be in jeopardy. All those things have happened and Aldridge is fine with it, because he has a chance to claim the championship that has eluded him all his basketball life. That’s not to say his scoring doesn’t have its place with the team. He has topped 21 points in five of his past eight games and is coming off a 23-point outing in Sunday’s win. Aldridge says he is getting more comfortable in his new digs and is content with his role. There will be games when Aldridge takes over, but in the end all he wants to do is win. And the Spurs are doing just that with their big man.
ANALYSIS AND ODDS PREDICTION
The Suns were not a good basketball team with Bledsoe in the lineup. Needless to say they are much worse with their top player shelved for the remainder of the season. Brandon Knight hasn’t been the answer at point guard and the Suns are kicking themselves for the trade of Isaiah Thomas last year. Meanwhile, the Spurs are cruising. They’ve been unbeatable at home, going 24-0 with two of those victories coming over the Suns. San Antonio won 98-84 in November, covering the 10-point spread, and embarrassed the Suns 112-79 on Dec. 30 when the spread jumped to 14.5 points. It’s hard to imagine the Spurs not covering the spread in this one, especially after three full days of rest between games. Expect Tony Parker to at least start the game and the Spurs will roll.
San Antonio 110, Phoenix 97
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