PREMIUM
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(NBA) Phoenix vs. Brooklyn,
Total: 223.50 | -110.00 Over
Result: Loss
Total: 223.50 | -110.00 Over
Result: Loss
The set-up: Just three teams are mathematically eliminated from postseason contention, with tonight's game between the 22-49 Phoenix Suns and the 14-56 Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center featuring two of those three. Phoenix stated its intentions clearly when it decided to bench veteran center Tyson Chandler (8.4 & 8.2) and backup PG Brandon Knight (11.0) after the All-Star break and then followed suit by shutting down leading scorer Eric Bledsoe (21.1-4.1-4.8) in mid-March. The Nets have owned the NBA's worst record for quite some time now but with the return of PG Jeremy Lin after the All Star break, have shown some grit.
The Suns have lost all four games (also 0-4 ATS) since Bledsoe has been shelved and take a 1-7 SU slide (2-6 ATS) into tonight's game, continuing a six-game road trip (Suns are 0-2 so far). As noted at the top, Phoenix is searching (hoping?) for encouraging performances from its young players. The Suns have seen 6-7 PF Alan Williams record a double-double in eight of his last 10 games but he sat out due to an illness on Tuesday and is questionable for Thursday. However, rookie power forward Marquese Chriss (8.7 & 3.9) scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Tuesday's loss (he's averaging 17.5 points over the last four games). Rookie PG Tyler Ulis is averaging 41 minutes over the last four games with Bledsoe on the sidelines and is posting 14.5 points and 9.5 assists in that span. Devin Booker returned from sitting out Sunday's loss in Detroit with a sore right ankle but was held to 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting while recording a minus-29 in 34 minutes. He is averaging 20.8 points this season but is shooting 23.6 percent (13-of-55) in his last three games.
Brooklyn: The return of PG Lin (13.7 & 4.9 APG) after the All Star break was good news for the Nets. He had finally gotten over his hamstring problems but he then tweaked his ankle against Dallas and missed Tuesday's game (is listed as day-to-day). Lin being out is not good news, as he had averaged 16.5 points in the eight games prior to going down in the first quarter against the Mavericks. Still, the Nets are 5-7 since March 1 when they snapped a 16-game losing streak at Sacramento. Center Brook Lopez was mobbed by his teammates for hitting a buzzer-beater in Tuesday's 98-96 win over the Pistons. The veteran center is the unquestioned leader of the team and is trying to keep his young teammates focused through the end of a lost season. He's scored at least 23 points in each of the last six games, averaging 25.5 PPG in that span.
The pick: It's the two-worst defensive teams in the NBA tonight, as the Suns allow 112.5 PPG (29th) and the Nets 113.6 PPG (30th). Naturally, the over/under number is YUGE and note that both teams will be without key performers. The Under is an 8* play.
The Suns have lost all four games (also 0-4 ATS) since Bledsoe has been shelved and take a 1-7 SU slide (2-6 ATS) into tonight's game, continuing a six-game road trip (Suns are 0-2 so far). As noted at the top, Phoenix is searching (hoping?) for encouraging performances from its young players. The Suns have seen 6-7 PF Alan Williams record a double-double in eight of his last 10 games but he sat out due to an illness on Tuesday and is questionable for Thursday. However, rookie power forward Marquese Chriss (8.7 & 3.9) scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Tuesday's loss (he's averaging 17.5 points over the last four games). Rookie PG Tyler Ulis is averaging 41 minutes over the last four games with Bledsoe on the sidelines and is posting 14.5 points and 9.5 assists in that span. Devin Booker returned from sitting out Sunday's loss in Detroit with a sore right ankle but was held to 11 points on 4-of-16 shooting while recording a minus-29 in 34 minutes. He is averaging 20.8 points this season but is shooting 23.6 percent (13-of-55) in his last three games.
Brooklyn: The return of PG Lin (13.7 & 4.9 APG) after the All Star break was good news for the Nets. He had finally gotten over his hamstring problems but he then tweaked his ankle against Dallas and missed Tuesday's game (is listed as day-to-day). Lin being out is not good news, as he had averaged 16.5 points in the eight games prior to going down in the first quarter against the Mavericks. Still, the Nets are 5-7 since March 1 when they snapped a 16-game losing streak at Sacramento. Center Brook Lopez was mobbed by his teammates for hitting a buzzer-beater in Tuesday's 98-96 win over the Pistons. The veteran center is the unquestioned leader of the team and is trying to keep his young teammates focused through the end of a lost season. He's scored at least 23 points in each of the last six games, averaging 25.5 PPG in that span.
The pick: It's the two-worst defensive teams in the NBA tonight, as the Suns allow 112.5 PPG (29th) and the Nets 113.6 PPG (30th). Naturally, the over/under number is YUGE and note that both teams will be without key performers. The Under is an 8* play.
