Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder
Monday, 12/31/12, 8:00 PM EST, TV: FSOK
Opening Point Spread: Oklahoma City -12
Current Betting Line: Oklahoma City -12.5
Opening Total: 207
Current Total: 207
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Phoenix has lost five games in a row, including a 111-107 setback to the Minnesota Timberwolves Saturday, while going OVER the total for the first time in five contests. The Suns are now looking to avoid their longest road skid in a single season since 1988. “It’s in our head now,” stated Suns forward Luis Scola. The team is 2-13 overall when playing away from home, which includes an 0-6 mark versus Western Conference foes. Phoenix is 5-1 ATS versus Northwest division opponents this year, with the UNDER going 3-2-1 in that situation.
The Suns lost all three meetings against the Thunder last year, while they’ve actually lost six in a row in the series overall. Phoenix will need a big effort out of Scola to pull off an upset, as he comes off a season high 33-point performance, while point guard Goran Dragic finished with 16 points and 12 assists. Defensively, the team is last in the NBA in defending the 3-point line, which is important to consider when looking over the pro basketball odds page with Monday’s opponent hitting 40.2 percent of its shots from long range.
Oklahoma City has put together a two-game win streak since dropping back-to-back affairs, as it comes off a dominating 124-94 victory over the Houston Rockets as 4.5-point road favorites Saturday. The Thunder are the highest scoring team in the league in averaging 105.7 points per game, with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook leading the way, combining for 49.8 points. Oklahoma City is 6-2 ATS as a home favorite of 9.5 to 12 points this year, with the OVER going 5-3 in that situation.
The Thunder are 15-2 at Chesapeake Energy Arena this year, as they look to extend the NBA’s longest current home win streak to 12 games. Oklahoma City has been playing some great defense in the paint this year, as it leads all teams in averaging 7.6 blocked shots per game, with Serge Ibaka accounting for 3.0. The franchise will be playing at home on New Year’s Eve for the fifth consecutive season, posting a 4-0 mark in the previous tries.
Sports bettors will likely back the Thunder due to their 17-10 ATS mark as a favorite, while the Suns are 2-8 ATS after allowing 105 or more points in their previous game.
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