Phoenix Suns red-hot as they travel to meet Timberwolves
It's as lopsided on paper as an NBA game could be with the Suns sporting the league's best mark at 12-3 and the Timberwolves on the other end of the stick at 1-14.
Only now is the disaster that was the Shaquille O’Neal experiment in Phoenix looking like the boneheaded move it really was. The Suns had the most dynamic team in the league under former head coach Mike D’Antoni, but they threw it all away (along with their refreshing style of play) when Steve Kerr dealt for Shaq midway through the 2007-08 season.
Phoenix missed the playoffs last season after going 46-36 and a disappointing 35-44-2 ATS, and promptly unloaded O’Neal’s contract into the waiting arms of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Thing is, D’Antoni, Shawn Marion, Boris Diaw, and Raja Bell were also casualties of Kerr’s brain fart. It’s too bad, because Phoenix is back to its running – and winning – ways, both on the scoreboard and at the window.
Phoenix at Minnesota (+10, 215)
Friday, 9:30 PM ET
The Suns (12-3, 9-6 ATS) take on the worst team – and possibly the worst wager – in the NBA when they roll into the Target Center to tip-off with the Timberwolves (1-14, 5-10 ATS) on Friday night.
Phoenix comes into the weekend on a hot streak, having gone 7-3 against the number in its last 10 games (8-2 SU). The Suns are also in top spot in the Western Conference, a half game ahead of the Lakers in the Pacific Division. Phoenix is back among the conference’s elite, even if it still has the same defensive flaws that killed it during its run under D’Antoni.
Those deficiencies won’t matter against Minnesota, which is among the worst teams of the last decade. The T-Wolves have dropped 14 consecutive games since clipping New Jersey in their 95-93 win as 2-point home underdogs in their season opener on October 28. Minnesota is only 4-10 ATS during the skid, including an atrocious 1-9 mark against the number in its last 10 games.
Oddsmakers are doing their best to help the Timberwolves, but it hasn’t been enough. Minnesota was priced as an 8.5-point home dog against Denver on Wednesday night, but it couldn’t cover in a 124-111 loss to the Nuggets. The T-Wolves aren’t just losing, they’re losing big, and books have yet to adjust. Minnesota has a league-worst point differential of –14.0, 3.6 points worse than winless New Jersey.
The Timberwolves did cover in their 120-112 loss to the Suns at US Airways Center on November 1, cashing as 13-point pups. Channing Frye had 25 points to lead Phoenix, which shot 53.8% from downtown (14-of-26) in the win. Ryan Gomes went for 23 points and 15 rebounds for Minnesota, losers of four of its last five (2-3 ATS) against Phoenix.
Atlanta at Detroit
Sunday, 1 PM ET
Everything is coming together for the Hawks (11-4, 11-4 ATS), the NBA’s most profitable wager against the spread coming into this weekend’s games. Atlanta meets the Pistons (5-10, 8-7 ATS) on Sunday afternoon at the Palace of Auburn Hills in a battle of teams going in different directions.
Joe Johnson is in a contract year and is playing the best basketball of his career. Jamal Crawford has come in and given the Hawks a legitimate scorer off the bench – something they’ve missed in each of the past two seasons. Al Horford has emerged in his third season, with averages of 14 and 10 per game. High-flyer Josh Smith is playing under control, and is shooting well over 50% from the floor.
The Hawks appear to be the real thing, although the key to the whole show is veteran point guard Mike Bibby. Bibby left the game with a sprained ankle in Atlanta’s 96-88 loss at New Orleans (+5) last Saturday, and was limited in his return to the floor in the Hawks’ 93-76 loss to Orlando (+3.5) on Thursday night.
Detroit had dropped six in a row (2-4 ATS) coming into the weekend, although it is a respectable 6-4 against the spread in its last 10 contests (3-7 SU). The Pistons are 7-2-1 O/U in the 10 games, but that says nothing about their anemic offense that ranks 26th in the NBA (92.2 PPG).
Injuries have conspired to keep Detroit around the .500 mark against the number. Ben Gordon left the game with a sprained left ankle in the Pistons’ 98-88 loss to the Cavaliers (-5) at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday night, and is doubtful for Friday night’s game at the Palace against the Clippers. Richard Hamilton (ankle) and Tayshaun Prince (back) are expected to remain out of the lineup for Detroit on Sunday
It's as lopsided on paper as an NBA game could be with the Suns sporting the league's best mark at 12-3 and the Timberwolves on the other end of the stick at 1-14.
Only now is the disaster that was the Shaquille O’Neal experiment in Phoenix looking like the boneheaded move it really was. The Suns had the most dynamic team in the league under former head coach Mike D’Antoni, but they threw it all away (along with their refreshing style of play) when Steve Kerr dealt for Shaq midway through the 2007-08 season.
Phoenix missed the playoffs last season after going 46-36 and a disappointing 35-44-2 ATS, and promptly unloaded O’Neal’s contract into the waiting arms of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Thing is, D’Antoni, Shawn Marion, Boris Diaw, and Raja Bell were also casualties of Kerr’s brain fart. It’s too bad, because Phoenix is back to its running – and winning – ways, both on the scoreboard and at the window.
Phoenix at Minnesota (+10, 215)
Friday, 9:30 PM ET
The Suns (12-3, 9-6 ATS) take on the worst team – and possibly the worst wager – in the NBA when they roll into the Target Center to tip-off with the Timberwolves (1-14, 5-10 ATS) on Friday night.
Phoenix comes into the weekend on a hot streak, having gone 7-3 against the number in its last 10 games (8-2 SU). The Suns are also in top spot in the Western Conference, a half game ahead of the Lakers in the Pacific Division. Phoenix is back among the conference’s elite, even if it still has the same defensive flaws that killed it during its run under D’Antoni.
Those deficiencies won’t matter against Minnesota, which is among the worst teams of the last decade. The T-Wolves have dropped 14 consecutive games since clipping New Jersey in their 95-93 win as 2-point home underdogs in their season opener on October 28. Minnesota is only 4-10 ATS during the skid, including an atrocious 1-9 mark against the number in its last 10 games.
Oddsmakers are doing their best to help the Timberwolves, but it hasn’t been enough. Minnesota was priced as an 8.5-point home dog against Denver on Wednesday night, but it couldn’t cover in a 124-111 loss to the Nuggets. The T-Wolves aren’t just losing, they’re losing big, and books have yet to adjust. Minnesota has a league-worst point differential of –14.0, 3.6 points worse than winless New Jersey.
The Timberwolves did cover in their 120-112 loss to the Suns at US Airways Center on November 1, cashing as 13-point pups. Channing Frye had 25 points to lead Phoenix, which shot 53.8% from downtown (14-of-26) in the win. Ryan Gomes went for 23 points and 15 rebounds for Minnesota, losers of four of its last five (2-3 ATS) against Phoenix.
Atlanta at Detroit
Sunday, 1 PM ET
Everything is coming together for the Hawks (11-4, 11-4 ATS), the NBA’s most profitable wager against the spread coming into this weekend’s games. Atlanta meets the Pistons (5-10, 8-7 ATS) on Sunday afternoon at the Palace of Auburn Hills in a battle of teams going in different directions.
Joe Johnson is in a contract year and is playing the best basketball of his career. Jamal Crawford has come in and given the Hawks a legitimate scorer off the bench – something they’ve missed in each of the past two seasons. Al Horford has emerged in his third season, with averages of 14 and 10 per game. High-flyer Josh Smith is playing under control, and is shooting well over 50% from the floor.
The Hawks appear to be the real thing, although the key to the whole show is veteran point guard Mike Bibby. Bibby left the game with a sprained ankle in Atlanta’s 96-88 loss at New Orleans (+5) last Saturday, and was limited in his return to the floor in the Hawks’ 93-76 loss to Orlando (+3.5) on Thursday night.
Detroit had dropped six in a row (2-4 ATS) coming into the weekend, although it is a respectable 6-4 against the spread in its last 10 contests (3-7 SU). The Pistons are 7-2-1 O/U in the 10 games, but that says nothing about their anemic offense that ranks 26th in the NBA (92.2 PPG).
Injuries have conspired to keep Detroit around the .500 mark against the number. Ben Gordon left the game with a sprained left ankle in the Pistons’ 98-88 loss to the Cavaliers (-5) at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday night, and is doubtful for Friday night’s game at the Palace against the Clippers. Richard Hamilton (ankle) and Tayshaun Prince (back) are expected to remain out of the lineup for Detroit on Sunday
