The set-up: The 7-3 SA Spurs know it will be a long year playing in the Western Conference against the likes of the Golden State Warriors and LA Clippers. Getting Tony Parker (right knee injury) healthy and back into the fold over the weekend was important, as is seeing his backcourt running mate Danny Green (left quad injury) back in the starting lineup, as well. The Spurs expect to have their starting backcourt intact for just the second time this season on Monday, when they host the 2-6 Miami Heat at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.

Miami: The Heat are struggling this season, losing four straight games after Saturday's 102-91 defeat at home to Utah. Miami trailed by just five points entering the third quarter but missed its first 10 shots and scored a season-low 12 points in the period. "I definitely wasn't expecting it, and that's not who we are and who we've been for the last month," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said after the Utah game. "It is disappointing. This league doesn't feel sorry for you, so we gather ourselves, get on a plane and head to San Antonio. Miami continues to be without PG Goran Dragic (16.3 & 5.9 APG), who missed the game against the Jazz after spraining his ankle the previous contest versus Chicago. Miami center Hassan Whiteside (17.5 & 11.1), who had 15 points and 14 rebounds against the Jazz, has now grabbed double-figure rebounds in each of the first eight games to start this season, marking the longest double-figure rebound streak to begin a season in team history. He is also the only player in the NBA this year to start the season grabbing double-digit rebounds in every game!

San Antonio: The Spurs have inexplicably struggled at home but snapped a three-game losing streak at home on Friday against Detroit and then avenged an earlier home loss to Houston by beating the Rockets on Saturday. Parker missed two of the Spurs' three losses with a right knee injury suffered in San Antonio's season-opening win at Golden State but played his second straight game on Saturday, when the Spurs went east down I-10 and beat Houston 106-100. Green's quad injury has kept him out of all but two games this season but he played 27 minutes on Saturday. Leonard (25.6 & 5.1) and Aldridge (17.4 & 7.6) have been the two "big guns" but the spurs are at their best when the team's depth leads the way.

The pick: San Antonio has won the last eight meetings between these two teams, going back to the last two games of the 2014 NBA Finals. Expect the Spurs to get back to dominating teams here at home soon. Why not right here? San Antonio is an 8* play.