Phoenix Suns at San Antonio Spurs, AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
Sunday, April 3, 2011, 1:00 pm Eastern, TV: ABC
Opening Line: Spurs -10
Current: Spurs -11
Opening Total: 211
Current Total: 209
Money Line: Spurs -800 / Suns +600
The San Antonio Spurs (57-19) will look to snap their season-high six-game losing streak on Sunday when they host the Phoenix Suns (37-38) during what has become a critical stretch of the regular season. The Spurs (-11) still own the top record in the NBA by one game over the Chicago Bulls along with the best mark in the Western Conference by 1.5 over the Los Angeles Lakers. But both the Bulls and Lakers have made up serious ground during San Antonio’s skid.
The Spurs had not lost more than four games in a row over the course of Tim Duncan’s career and looked like they would run away with the top seed in the West. Duncan sat out the first game of the losing streak with a sprained ankle that looked like it could keep him out the rest of the regular season. He returned early though and has played the last two games, averaging 21.5 points and 13 rebounds in losses to Boston and Houston.
Injuries to Manu Ginobili (quad) and Tony Parker (knee) have also contributed to the losing streak, but like Duncan their quick return to the court might be making it worse. San Antonio has played very poor defensively during the skid, allowing opponents to shoot 50.3 percent from the field and average 108.3 points, which is more than 10 points higher than the team’s season average. The OVER has cashed in all of those games. The age of the Spurs might simply be catching up to them, similar to the Celtics, who have struggled down the stretch as well.
The Suns start a five-game road trip in San Antonio and will try to avoid getting swept in the season series after losing the first two games by a combined 10 points. They have dropped five of six on the road and had lost four straight overall before beating the Los Angeles Clippers 111-98 at home on Friday. Phoenix point guard Steve Nash missed that game due to flu-like symptoms and was replaced by Aaron Brooks, who scored 12 points and dished out six assists.
Nash’s status remains up in the air, and Brooks has not fared well against the Spurs during his career. Brooks scored just seven points on 3 of 12 shooting in the last game vs. San Antonio and has averaged 14.8 points on 41.3 percent shooting over 11 career meetings.
Regardless of who plays, bettors can expect a high-scoring game between the teams. The OVER is 8-1 in the last nine meetings with the winner totaling at least 110 points in eight of them.
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