Weekend Tips with Durant, Thunder hosting Celtics
The Thunder are slowly but surely growing into a solid club, and they'll get a shot to show just how good on Friday night when they host the Boston Celtics. Oklahoma City is ranked as the seventh-best NBA team on the defensive end, with Kevin Durant starting to find his shooting stroke. The weekend closes Sunday night with Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns paying Kobe Bryant and the Lakers a visit.
Funny how life works sometimes. One day, you’re out of a job and thinking about your pension plan. The next day, an opening comes up in the one place that has any use for you – and it’s the same place you started your career.
So Allen Iverson is back with the Philadelphia 76ers. There’s no question they need him now that starting point guard Lou Williams (broken jaw) is out for eight weeks.
The Sixers are very thin in the backcourt this year; rookie Jrue Holiday is filling in until Iverson’s debut next Monday, and the Sixers are 0-5 SU (but 3-2 ATS) with Holiday running the show.
Keep a close eye on this one, folks. If the Sixers make the smart move and go small with Holiday at shooting guard and center Samuel Dalembert coming off the bench in support of Elton Brand, this could work.
Boston at Oklahoma City (+4, 191)
Friday, Dec 4, 8:00 p.m. (ET)
The Celtics went through a 10-game dry spell at 6-4 SU and 1-9 ATS, but they’ve found another gear and covered each of their last four victories to improve to 15-4 SU and 9-10 ATS. Going on the road took a lot of the chalk out of Boston’s betting odds; the C’s are laying just four points as they head to the Ford Center and a matchup with the Thunder (10-8 SU, 11-7 ATS).
Oklahoma City has joined the ranks of the living thanks to the continued maturation of its core young players, plus the additions of defensive stalwart Thabo Sefolosha and first-round draft pick James Harden at shooting guard. The Thunder have jumped to seventh in the league in defensive efficiency – Boston is No. 1 – and on offense, Kevin Durant has rediscovered his range from behind the arc at 10-of-22 in his last five games.
The bad news for the Thunder is that starting center Nenad Krstic sprained his left ankle Wednesday against the Sixers and is considered day-to-day. Krstic already has a sore left Achilles and is a soft defender at the best of times. If he can’t play Friday, that leaves Etan Thomas and Nick Collison to contain the Celtics in the post – that means getting manhandled by Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins.
Boston took all three of its games against Oklahoma City SU and ATS last year, with all three going 'under.' Despite the Thunder’s slow pace (94.5 possessions per game, same as Atlanta) and commitment to defense, the 'over' is 8-2 in their last 10 games. The Celtics (even slower at 93.3 possessions per game) have the 'over' at 4-1 during their current five-game winning streak. Friday night’s posted total is 191 points.
Phoenix at L.A. Lakers
Sunday, Dec 6, 9:30 p.m. (ET)
It’s always a must-see when these two teams play, but it’s even better with them fighting for supremacy in the Western Conference. The Lakers are on top for the moment at 14-3 SU (8-9 ATS) after winning seven games in a row – the last six with center Pau Gasol back in the lineup. Gasol (22.3 points, 13.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists per 40 minutes) is playing MVP-caliber basketball, and the Lakers are 4-2 ATS since his return. This is a monster team when healthy.
Phoenix definitely wasn’t healthy last year. But after sending Shaquille O’Neal to Cleveland and deciding to hold onto Amare Stoudemire, the Suns are back to their winning ways at 14-5 SU and 11-8 ATS. This is the most efficient offense in the NBA; Channing Frye (46.8 percent from downtown) is a very good fit in this system at center, and Steve Nash is dishing out assists like never before at 14.2 per 40 minutes. He’s playing at the same level as he did while earning back-to-back MVP awards in 2005 and 2006.
The difference between the two teams is on defense. The Lakers are second behind Boston in defensive efficiency, while the freewheeling Suns rank No. 23, wedged between Sacramento and Minnesota. Watch out for inflation on the totals, though – the 'under' is 10-7-2 for Phoenix on the season and 6-1-2 in the last nine games.
The Thunder are slowly but surely growing into a solid club, and they'll get a shot to show just how good on Friday night when they host the Boston Celtics. Oklahoma City is ranked as the seventh-best NBA team on the defensive end, with Kevin Durant starting to find his shooting stroke. The weekend closes Sunday night with Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns paying Kobe Bryant and the Lakers a visit.
Funny how life works sometimes. One day, you’re out of a job and thinking about your pension plan. The next day, an opening comes up in the one place that has any use for you – and it’s the same place you started your career.
So Allen Iverson is back with the Philadelphia 76ers. There’s no question they need him now that starting point guard Lou Williams (broken jaw) is out for eight weeks.
The Sixers are very thin in the backcourt this year; rookie Jrue Holiday is filling in until Iverson’s debut next Monday, and the Sixers are 0-5 SU (but 3-2 ATS) with Holiday running the show.
Keep a close eye on this one, folks. If the Sixers make the smart move and go small with Holiday at shooting guard and center Samuel Dalembert coming off the bench in support of Elton Brand, this could work.
Boston at Oklahoma City (+4, 191)
Friday, Dec 4, 8:00 p.m. (ET)
The Celtics went through a 10-game dry spell at 6-4 SU and 1-9 ATS, but they’ve found another gear and covered each of their last four victories to improve to 15-4 SU and 9-10 ATS. Going on the road took a lot of the chalk out of Boston’s betting odds; the C’s are laying just four points as they head to the Ford Center and a matchup with the Thunder (10-8 SU, 11-7 ATS).
Oklahoma City has joined the ranks of the living thanks to the continued maturation of its core young players, plus the additions of defensive stalwart Thabo Sefolosha and first-round draft pick James Harden at shooting guard. The Thunder have jumped to seventh in the league in defensive efficiency – Boston is No. 1 – and on offense, Kevin Durant has rediscovered his range from behind the arc at 10-of-22 in his last five games.
The bad news for the Thunder is that starting center Nenad Krstic sprained his left ankle Wednesday against the Sixers and is considered day-to-day. Krstic already has a sore left Achilles and is a soft defender at the best of times. If he can’t play Friday, that leaves Etan Thomas and Nick Collison to contain the Celtics in the post – that means getting manhandled by Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins.
Boston took all three of its games against Oklahoma City SU and ATS last year, with all three going 'under.' Despite the Thunder’s slow pace (94.5 possessions per game, same as Atlanta) and commitment to defense, the 'over' is 8-2 in their last 10 games. The Celtics (even slower at 93.3 possessions per game) have the 'over' at 4-1 during their current five-game winning streak. Friday night’s posted total is 191 points.
Phoenix at L.A. Lakers
Sunday, Dec 6, 9:30 p.m. (ET)
It’s always a must-see when these two teams play, but it’s even better with them fighting for supremacy in the Western Conference. The Lakers are on top for the moment at 14-3 SU (8-9 ATS) after winning seven games in a row – the last six with center Pau Gasol back in the lineup. Gasol (22.3 points, 13.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists per 40 minutes) is playing MVP-caliber basketball, and the Lakers are 4-2 ATS since his return. This is a monster team when healthy.
Phoenix definitely wasn’t healthy last year. But after sending Shaquille O’Neal to Cleveland and deciding to hold onto Amare Stoudemire, the Suns are back to their winning ways at 14-5 SU and 11-8 ATS. This is the most efficient offense in the NBA; Channing Frye (46.8 percent from downtown) is a very good fit in this system at center, and Steve Nash is dishing out assists like never before at 14.2 per 40 minutes. He’s playing at the same level as he did while earning back-to-back MVP awards in 2005 and 2006.
The difference between the two teams is on defense. The Lakers are second behind Boston in defensive efficiency, while the freewheeling Suns rank No. 23, wedged between Sacramento and Minnesota. Watch out for inflation on the totals, though – the 'under' is 10-7-2 for Phoenix on the season and 6-1-2 in the last nine games.