PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* TOTAL DOMINATION >> 10-5-1 NBA Run! 7-3 Overall L3 Days!
(NBA) Philadelphia vs. San Antonio,
Total: 211.00 | -110.00 Over
Result: Win
Total: 211.00 | -110.00 Over
Result: Win
The set-up: The 37-11 San Antonio Spurs own the best record in the league, as long as one doesn't count the Warriors. However, one of the anomalies of the first half of the NBA season is that six of the Spurs' 11 losses have come teams with sub-.500 records. The Spurs are hoping another sub-.500 team doesn't trip them up tonight, as the 18-30 Philadelphia 76ers visit San Antonio.
Philadelphia: The 76ers come to San Antonio off a 113-95 loss Wednesday to Dallas. Philadelphia was up by as many as nine points in the first half but fell behind in the third quarter and entered the 4th quarter down by 12. The Mavs' lead surpassed 20 in the fourth and the final margin was 113-95. Jahlil Okafor (11.5 & 4.7) led Philadelphia with 16 points and Ersan Ilyasova (15.3 & 6.1) added 13 points and 10 rebounds. However, rookie of the year favorite Joel Embiid (20.2 & 7.8) didn't make the trip to Texas. He suffered a bruised left knee Jan. 20 and hasn't played in six of the past seven games. He was on the floor in Friday's nationally televised 123-118 loss to Houston but head coach Brett Brown dispelled any notion that Embiid was rushed back for that game. The good news is, there has been huge improvement from the 76ers this season, after they won just 10 games last year. They finished January with a 10-5 record, their best month since going 13-4 in January 2012.
San Antonio: The Spurs come into the game off a 108-94 home win over OKC on Tuesday, snapping a two-game slide. Kawhi Leonard (25.6 & 5.8) scored 36 points and grabbed eight rebounds but the Spurs' bench proved to be the difference, helping to turn the tide at the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth after San Antonio squandered an 18-point lead over a horrid seven-minute stretch. The Spurs' reserves responded by outscoring Oklahoma City 15-2 and once the starters returned, the Thunder had no answer. Aldridge (17.7 & 7.2) is San Antonio's clear 'second banana' but this team has terrific depth and balance, as seven players contribute between 6.3 and 11.7 PPG. Gasol (11.7 & 7.9) has been the leader of that group but will be out until March with a finger injury but look for the 7-0 Dedmon to get more time, after averaging 4.8 & 5.8 on about 16 MPG, so far.
The pick: Tough spot for the 76ers playing a back-to-back without Embiid. The Spurs have won 10 straight against Philadelphia (dating back to a 77-71 road loss on Feb. 11, 2011) and have captured 11 consecutive home games against the 76ers. Then again, the Spurs have had a tendency to slip up this year, in unexpected situations. However, that SA defense always seems to bring its "A-game," ranking second in both points allowed (99.2) and opponents' FG percentage (44.5%). The 76ers average a modest 100.8 PPG (25th) on shooting 44.1% shooting (26th) and won't have their best player. The under is a 10* play.
Philadelphia: The 76ers come to San Antonio off a 113-95 loss Wednesday to Dallas. Philadelphia was up by as many as nine points in the first half but fell behind in the third quarter and entered the 4th quarter down by 12. The Mavs' lead surpassed 20 in the fourth and the final margin was 113-95. Jahlil Okafor (11.5 & 4.7) led Philadelphia with 16 points and Ersan Ilyasova (15.3 & 6.1) added 13 points and 10 rebounds. However, rookie of the year favorite Joel Embiid (20.2 & 7.8) didn't make the trip to Texas. He suffered a bruised left knee Jan. 20 and hasn't played in six of the past seven games. He was on the floor in Friday's nationally televised 123-118 loss to Houston but head coach Brett Brown dispelled any notion that Embiid was rushed back for that game. The good news is, there has been huge improvement from the 76ers this season, after they won just 10 games last year. They finished January with a 10-5 record, their best month since going 13-4 in January 2012.
San Antonio: The Spurs come into the game off a 108-94 home win over OKC on Tuesday, snapping a two-game slide. Kawhi Leonard (25.6 & 5.8) scored 36 points and grabbed eight rebounds but the Spurs' bench proved to be the difference, helping to turn the tide at the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth after San Antonio squandered an 18-point lead over a horrid seven-minute stretch. The Spurs' reserves responded by outscoring Oklahoma City 15-2 and once the starters returned, the Thunder had no answer. Aldridge (17.7 & 7.2) is San Antonio's clear 'second banana' but this team has terrific depth and balance, as seven players contribute between 6.3 and 11.7 PPG. Gasol (11.7 & 7.9) has been the leader of that group but will be out until March with a finger injury but look for the 7-0 Dedmon to get more time, after averaging 4.8 & 5.8 on about 16 MPG, so far.
The pick: Tough spot for the 76ers playing a back-to-back without Embiid. The Spurs have won 10 straight against Philadelphia (dating back to a 77-71 road loss on Feb. 11, 2011) and have captured 11 consecutive home games against the 76ers. Then again, the Spurs have had a tendency to slip up this year, in unexpected situations. However, that SA defense always seems to bring its "A-game," ranking second in both points allowed (99.2) and opponents' FG percentage (44.5%). The 76ers average a modest 100.8 PPG (25th) on shooting 44.1% shooting (26th) and won't have their best player. The under is a 10* play.
