BEST IN THE WEST: LOB CITY TRAVELS TO SAN ANTONIO

by TYLER WOGALTER

Last Meeting: The Spurs defeated the Clippers 116-90 in Los Angeles on 2/21/13

Check out Line Information for this game

Two of the best teams in basketball face off in San Antonio as the Los Angeles Clippers battle the Spurs on Friday at 8:30 ET. The Spurs have won five of their last six games and sit atop the Western Conference. With only 11 games to play in the regular season, San Antonio appears to be the favorites to enjoy home court advantage throughout the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Clippers have won three of their last four and have continued scoring the rock with ease. The Clips are firing on all cylinders and look ready to make a splash in the playoffs.

San Antonio is the best team in the Western Conference, and occupies the top seed in the current playoff picture. With a 1 ½ game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Spurs are the team to beat in the West. The Clippers are currently the 3^rd seed in the West, and trail the 2^nd seeded OKC Thunder by 4 games. The Clips only have a half game lead over the 4^thseeded Denver Nuggets and will need to keep winning ball games if they want to keep their spot in the playoff picture.

Betting Information

The Spurs are 54-17 straight up and 37-32 against the spread on the season. At home, San Antonio is 31-4 SU and 18-15 ATS. Against the total, the Spurs are 39-31 Under and are averaging 104.3 PPG, which is 4th best in the league.

Los Angeles has a record of 49-23 SU and 39-32 ATS. While playing on the road, the Clippers are 21-15 SU and 18-18 ATS. Against the total, Lob City is 39-33 Over on the year and are putting up 100.9 PPG.

Injuries

After missing three games with an injured groin, Clippers guard Chauncey Billups re-aggravated his injury on Wednesday against the Rockets. Billups is listed as day-to-day, but is not expected to play on Friday. The 2004 Finals MVP is averaging 8.2 PPG on the year.

What to watch for

Look for solid ball movement and quick, crisp passes for both teams, as this game features two of the top five teams in assists per game. The Spurs lead the league in assists with 25.1 APG, while the Clippers are averaging 23.5 APG, good for 4^th in the NBA.

Tim Duncan is proving that age is nothing but a number. The 36-year-old veteran has played phenomenal during the Spurs past six games, notching a double-double in five of the contests and averaging 23.6 PPG and 13.5 RPG over that stretch. Watch for Duncan to grab another double-double in this one.

A major reason for the success of the Clippers this season has been the play of Jamal Crawford. Believed by many to be the favorite for the Sixth Man of the Year Award, Crawford has contributed greatly to the winning ways of the Clips this season. Watch for Crawford and his 16.7 PPG to make an impact on Friday.

The pick

With Tim Duncan playing beyond his age, a healthy Tony Parker and Gregg Popovich leading his team into the postseason, it will be a difficult task for Lob City to come into San Antonio and knock off the Spurs. Losing this one will be only the fifth loss at the AT&T Center this season, but I don’t believe that it will happen. This will be a high-flying, fast paced game, but San Antonio will pull away late and take this one, 115-107.

Source: ESPN

BIGGER IN TEXAS: SPURS AND ROCKETS DUEL ON SUNDAY

by TYLER WOGALTER

Line: Spurs -1, Total: 213.5

Last Meeting: The Spurs defeated the Rockets 122-116 in San Antonio on 12/28/12

Matchup
The two best teams in Texas will have a Sunday showdown in Houston, as the San Antonio Spurs take on the Rockets at 7:00 ET. The Spurs are the best team in the Western Conference and are currently on a four-game winning streak. San Antonio will enjoy the services of Tony Parker, who suited up for the first time in 8 games on Friday in a win against the Jazz. Meanwhile, the Rockets have won four of their last five and continue to score the basketball with ease. Houston will need to continue winning games if they want to make the playoffs. The San Antonio Spurs have the best record in the West, providing them with home court advantage throughout the playoffs. With a 2 ½ game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Spurs look to be the favorites to come out of the West and make the Finals. Houston currently finds themselves the 7-seed in the West and have a 2 ½ game lead over the Lakers for the last spot in the postseason. The Rockets are only a half game back from the 6th seed and the Golden State Warriors.

Betting Information
The Rockets are 38-31 straight up and 36-32 against the spread on the season. At home, Houston is 24-10 SU and 21-13 ATS. Against the total, the Rockets are 35-34 Over and are averaging 106.5 PPG, which is the best in the league. San Antonio has a record of 53-16 SU and 37-30 ATS. While playing on the road, the Spurs are 23-12 SU and 19-16 ATS. Against the total, San Antonio is 38-31 Under on the year and are putting up 104.4 PPG.

After missing a few weeks due to an injured thumb, Rockets rookie Terrence Jones is ready to play, but not for Houston. The Rockets sent the recovering Jones to play for Rio Grande Valley of the NBA’s D-League. Jones is averaging 3.1 PPG.

What to watch for
Expect a high final score and for the total to go over, as both the Rockets and Spurs are among the top five teams in the league in scoring. Houston is scoring more than any other team, while the Spurs are the 4th highest scoring team this season.

A major reason for the Spurs four-game winning streak has been the play of future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan. In each of his past four games, Duncan has procured a double-double and is averaging 25.5 PPG and 15 RPG over that stretch. Watch for Duncan to continue his dominance in Houston. If the Rockets want to win this game, they will need a quality night from Omer Asik. The Houston center is averaging 10.2 PPG and 11.7 RPG on the year, and is a vital peg in the success of the Rockets. Watch for Asik to come up big and grab a double-double in this one.

The pick
If Houston isn’t careful, this game could be a potential first round playoff matchup that does not benefit the Rockets due to San Antonio’s relentless ability to win. However, the Rockets been playing great basketball, especially inside the Toyota Center, which is why they will win this contest. While the Spurs should be able to keep up with the pace of scoring, I believe the Rockets will begin to pull away late and come away with a close victory, 119-115.

Source: ESPN

BEST IN THE WEST SPURS HOST STRUGGLING JAZZ ON FRIDAY

by TYLER WOGALTER

Last Meeting: The Jazz defeated the Spurs 99-96 in Utah on 12/12/12

Line: Spurs -11.5, Total: 199

Matchup

The dominant San Antonio Spurs will host the sluggish Utah Jazz on Friday at 8:30 ET. Aside from the Miami Heat, no team has played better basketball this season than the Spurs. Even with the loss of Tony Parker for the past 8 games due to an ankle injury, the Spurs have continued to prove their dominance as the best team in the West. Going 6 for 8 without Parker, the Spurs are also in the middle of a three game winning streak. Meanwhile, the Jazz have lost 10 of the previous 13 contests and find themselves on a two game skid. With only 14 games to play in the regular season, the Jazz will need to win a majority of their matches down the stretch if they want to play ball in the postseason.

The best record in the Western Conference comes with perks, such as home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The Spurs are currently sitting in the top seed in the West, have a 2 ½ game lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder and have the comfort of knowing that any series must go through the AT&T Center. Utah, who were in the playoff picture as recently as last month, are on the outside looking in. The Jazz are 1 ½ games behind the Los Angeles Lakers for the 8^th and final spot in the West.

Betting Information

The Spurs are 52-16 straight up and 37-29 against the spread on the season. At home, San Antonio is 29-4 SU and 18-13 ATS. Against the total, the Spurs are 37-30 Under and are averaging 104.5 PPG, which is 4^th best in the league.

Utah has a record of 34-34 SU and 33-34 ATS. While playing on the road, the Jazz are 10-25 SU and 13-21 ATS. Against the total, Utah is 36-31 Under on the year and are putting up 97.8 PPG.

Injuries

After missing 8 games, Tony Parker is listed as possible, but unlikely for Friday’s game. The Spurs All-Star point guard practiced in 5-on-5 drills and could be able to suit up against the Jazz. Parker is averaging 21 PPG and 7.6 APG on the year.

What to watch for

No team is better at finding open teammates this year than the Spurs. San Antonio leads the league in assists, averaging 25.3 APG. Look for the Spurs to spread the ball around, even if their best point guard is forced to sit another game.

While his team may have caught a case of the slumps, Al Jefferson hasn’t let the Jazz’s recent woes stop him from balling. Jefferson is leading his team in both points and rebounds and has gotten a double-double in 3 of his past 5 games. Look for Jefferson and his 17.3 PPG and 9.2 RPG to make an impact in this one.

By securing 3 rebounds on Friday, Tim Duncan will leap frog Shaquille O’Neal for 13^th all-time in career rebounds with 13,100 boards. Watch for Duncan to keep moving up the career rebounding list on Friday, as well as score his usual 17.2 PPG and 9.9 RPG.

The pick

Even though the Jazz got the better of the Spurs the last time they played, the result of this one will be completely different. Utah has lost 7 straight road games, while the Spurs have won 4 consecutive home contests. San Antonio is a veteran team on a mission and will continue their pursuit of the top spot in the West with a win on Friday, 111-96.

Source: ESPN

THE MAVS TRY TO STAY IN THE PLAYOFF HUNT AS THEY PLAY THE SPURS

by JEFF ALLEN SPORTS

The red-hot Mavericks try to avoid a season sweep from a Tony Parker-less Spurs team on Thursday night when they make the short trip to AT&T Center.

Line: San Antonio -9.5, Total: 206 (Track Line Movements)

Dallas has won four straight games (3-1 ATS), including the first three contests of its road trip that concludes on Thursday. The Mavs have scored 100+ points in all four victories, averaging 107.3 PPG on 50.4% FG (42% threes) during the win surge. San Antonio has been wildly inconsistent since its star point guard Parker suffered a knee injury on March 1. After winning three in a row, the Spurs lost by 30 at home to Portland, beat Oklahoma City by 12 and then got crushed by 24 points in Minnesota in their most recent game on Tuesday. San Antonio has dominated this series in the past three seasons with a 9-2 ATS mark (8-3 SU) including 4-1 (SU and ATS) against the Mavs at home. This includes a 3-0 (SU and ATS) record this season with the Spurs winning 129-91 in the lone meeting in San Antonio on Dec. 23, and then prevailing in Dallas by 25 points on Dec. 30 and by six points on Jan. 25. But the last time the Mavs were swept in this season series was 15 years ago, way back in 1997-98.

Dallas continues to produce big offensive numbers with 101.4 PPG (7th in NBA) on 45.7% FG (10th in league) and 37.1% threes (8th in NBA). But its defense ranks 4th-worst in the league with 102.3 PPG allowed despite respectable numbers of giving up just 44.4% FG and 36.1% threes. Much of this has to do with a soft interior that ranks 3rd-worst in the NBA with a minus-3.3 RPG margin. However, the team has made a bigger commitment on the boards recently, outrebounding its past two opponents by +9.0 RPG. PF Dirk Nowitzki (16.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG) has been red-hot during the team’s season-high-tying win streak with 17.3 PPG (52% FG) and 8.0 RPG in the four games. However, Nowitzki has been subpar in the season series with a mere 10.3 PPG and 5.0 RPG in the three meetings with the Spurs. SG Vince Carter (13.3 PPG, 4.0 RPG) has also played outstanding recently with six straight double-figure scoring games in March (17.2 PPG on 57% FG), which includes 22.5 PPG (8-of-11 threes) in his past two contests. Carter has 14.3 PPG on 53% FG in three meetings with San Antonio this season. SG O.J. Mayo (17.2 PPG, 4.4 APG, 3.7 RPG) has been quiet in the season series (9.7 PPG on 38% FG), but has a well-rounded 15.3 PPG, 5.3 APG and 4.0 RPG in March. PG Darren Collison (12.2 PPG, 5.3 APG) has shot lights-out against the Spurs this season (15.3 PPG on 63% FG), but has struggled to score during the four-game win streak with a mere 8.8 PPG on 10-of-32 shooting (31%). The Mavs could be without SF Shawn Marion (11.7 PPG, 7.9 RPG), who has missed three straight games with a contusion in his left calf. Marion has been dreadful against the Spurs though, making just 3-of-16 shots in the season series.

The Spurs offense continues to roll with 104.4 PPG (4th in NBA) on 48.7% FG (2nd in league) and 38.0% threes (4th in NBA). Defensively, San Antonio is also better than most, allowing 96.3 PPG (11th in league) on 44.0% FG (8th in NBA) and 33.7% threes (4th in league). The Spurs have been nearly impossible to beat at AT&T Center this season, where they are 26-4 SU (17-11-2 ATS), including a 22-2 SU mark in the past 24 home tilts. Their poor showing in Minnesota on Tuesday had a lot to do with the absence of big men PF Tim Duncan (16.6 PPG, 9.6 RPG) and SF Kawhi Leonard (11.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG), who were left home as they deal with sore knees. Both players are listed as questionable for Thursday. Without the two starting forwards against the Wolves, the Spurs shot 35.4% FG and turned the ball over 17 times. SG Manu Ginobili (12.4 PPG, 4.5 APG) must play better for the Spurs to win, as he has shot a paltry 33% FG (3-for-15 threes) in his past three games. Ginobili has also been off the mark against Dallas this season with just 8.7 PPG on 44% FG, but has added 5.0 APG in the season series. SG Danny Green (10.7 PPG) has been outstanding versus the Mavs though, with 14.7 PPG on 62% FG. He’s also shot 52% FG and 52% threes in the month of March. C Tiago Splitter (10.5 PPG, 6.1 RPG) had a huge night in Monday’s win over Oklahoma City with 21 points (9-of-11 FG) and 10 rebounds, but was held to four points on 1-of-10 shooting in Tuesday’s defeat. He’s been solid versus Dallas this season though, with 10.3 PPG (53% FG) and 8.3 RPG in the three meetings.

Source: Statfox

THE BEST OF THE WEST: 46-16 THUNDER VS. 48-15 SPURS

by DAVID THE MAVEN CHICOTSKY

Both teams have their playoff berths locked up, now they’re just playing for pride.

The Spurs have Tony Parker out for a month with a severe ankle sprain – now they host the always tough Oklahoma City Thunder. The Spurs are coming off a home loss to the Trailblazers, 136-106, in a game where they were 11 point favorites. Before that, the Spurs had won and covered in 3 straight games (also as massive favorites of 14, 13 and 8 points). After Tony Parker got hurt, the Spurs played 2nd year player Cory Joseph (who has spent the better part of those two years in the D-league) against the Bulls. Even with a no-name guard running the show, the Bulls had no chance, getting blown out 102-72.

The Thunder are really on a roll, they’ve won their last 4 games in a row (3-1 ATS) and 7 out of their last 8 games (6-2 ATS). The Thunder have won their last 3 road games (2-1 ATS), beating the Clippers by 4, narrowly winning by 1 agains the Knicks and destroying the Bobcats by 22 points.

These two teams have met twice already this year, the first time was the first game of the year where the Spurs won at home 86-84 (in a game where the Spurs were favored by 2) and the 2nd game was in OKC where the Thunder won 107-93 (the Thunder were favored by 5).

Source: New York Daily News

WOUNDED WINNERS: BULLS VS. SPURS

by DAVID THE MAVEN CHICOTSKY

The Bulls have done a commendable job of keeping themselves in the playoff picture despite losing their team leader Derrick Rose for the year to an ACL injury. The Spurs are all of a sudden now in a similar boat, with their leader Tony Parker out with a severely sprained ankle. The Spurs will need to band together and do what they can to score against a Bulls defense that is ranked 3^rd in the league.

The Bulls have revenge, as they lost to the Spurs 103-89 in a Chicago game where the Bulls were favored by 2 points.

ATS Info

The Bulls have shined without their star, going 34-25 straight up and 34-25 Under– but similar to other big market teams, have left bettors holding the bag (they’re 25-32-2 ATS on the year). On the road the Bulls haven’t been too shabby, going 17-11 straight up and 16-10 ATS (15-13 Over).

The Spurs are a league leading 47-14 straight up, 33-26-2 ATS and 32-29 Under on the year. At home they’ve been almost unbeatable, going an incredible 24-3 straight up, alongside 15-11-1 ATS and 17-10 Under records.

Source: Bleacher Report

THE BANGED UP SPURS TAKE ON THE BULLS

by ODDSFATHER STAFF

The Bulls play their first home game in two weeks when the Spurs continue their long road trip Monday in Chicago.

Line: Chicago -2, Total: 190

San Antonio is 2-1 (SU and ATS) so far on its annual rodeo road trip, crushing Brooklyn 111-86 on Sunday thanks to a 59% FG clip and just five turnovers. The Bulls are in the midst of a brutal stretch of schedule that has them playing 10 road games in a 12-game stretch, with the only two tilts at United Center coming against the No. 1 seeds in each conference, San Antonio and Miami. The Bulls are just 4-4 (SU and ATS) in their past eight games, but they did upset Utah 93-89 on Friday to finish off their road trip. And they are also 4-1 (SU and ATS) in the past five meetings with the Spurs, winning two straight home meetings by 8.5 PPG. Both teams have multiple key injuries, as San Antonio PF Tim Duncan (knee) and SG Manu Ginobili (hamstring) are both doubtful, while Chicago will definitely be without PG Kirk Hinrich (arm), with SG Marco Belinelli (foot) questionable for this game.

The Bulls have been horrible on their home floor this season with an NBA-worst 7-19 ATS mark (27%). The Spurs have been the league’s fifth-best road wager at 16-12 ATS (57%). And even if Duncan and Ginobili don’t play, this team has won 12 of its past 13 games thanks mostly to PG Tony Parker who should dominate the Derrick Rose-less Bulls. San Antonio is 25-10 ATS (71%) in the past two seasons when facing teams with a win pct. between 51% and 60%, including 14-4 ATS (78%) in the second half of the season. And in the past three seasons, the Spurs are 19-4 ATS (83%) on the road where the total is between 190 and 194.5 points.

San Antonio’s offense has been extremely efficient all season with 104.4 PPG (4th in NBA), 48.8% FG (2nd in league) and an NBA-leading 25.1 APG. The Spurs also pace the league with 103.7 PPG on 47.6% FG away from home. So far on this road trip, the team is averaging 108.0 PPG on 50% FG in the three games. Star PG Tony Parker (20.7 PPG, 7.7 APG) is having a phenomenal season, and is averaging 25.3 PPG on 58% FG with 9.5 APG in the past 11 contests, scoring at least 19 points in every game. And despite the Bulls being a great defensive franchise, Parker has posted 17.8 PPG on 52% FG with 6.4 APG in 20 career meetings with Chicago. With Duncan (17.3 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.7 BPG) and Ginobili (12.5 PPG, 4.5 APG, 3.7 RPG) both out, C Tiago Splitter (10.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG) is the next highest scorer for the Spurs. He has 15 straight games of 10+ points, averaging 13.5 PPG on a whopping 63% FG, plus 8.0 RPG during this stretch. SG Danny Green (10.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG) has caught fire, scoring 17.8 PPG on 62% FG (63% threes) in the past five games. SF Kawhi Leonard (9.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG) is also starting to find a groove in his past nine contests, averaging 13.2 PPG (17-of-36 threes) and 6.7 RPG during this stretch. But PG Gary Neal (9.6 PPG) has shot terribly in his past 11 games, averaging 6.8 PPG on 33% FG and 10-of-37 threes (27%).

Chicago boasts the third-best scoring defense in the NBA (91.7 PPG) and also ranks third in FG Pct. defense (43.3% FG). However, these numbers have risen to 109.3 PPG and 53% FG in the past three games. But the offense has been decent during this road trip with 96.0 PPG, which is considerably higher than its 93.3 PPG before the long journey. The scoring is led by SF Luol Deng (17.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.1 APG), but he’s been underperforming since returning from a hamstring injury, averaging a mere 15.1 PPG on 36% FG in the past seven games. He’s also shot a low percentage (41%) when facing the Spurs since 2010. PF Carlos Boozer (15.8 PPG, 9.3 RPG) missed the first three games of this road trip due to a hamstring injury, but after playing sparingly (22.5 MPG) in his first two games back, Boozer logged 32 minutes in Friday’s win at Utah, scoring 19 points. With PG Kirk Hinrich (7.0 PPG, 5.2 APG) out indefinitely with an arm injury, PG Nate Robinson (11.9 PPG, 4.0 APG) has stepped up his game in the starting role, averaging 16.6 PPG (14-of-26 threes) and 8.6 APG in the past five games, logging 38.8 MPG in these contests. With SG Marco Belinelli (9.7 PPG) bothered by an ankle injury, Chicago is impatiently waiting for SG Richard Hamilton (10.7 PPG) to heat up. Hamilton has not surpassed 10 points in any of his past nine games, averaging a paltry 6.6 PPG on 36% FG.

Source: Statfox

NBA BETTING FOR SUNDAY: SPURS (39-12) VS. NETS (29-21)

by LUCAS COMBS

Last Meeting: 12/31 – The Spurs crushed the Nets in San Antonio, 104-73.

When: Sunday, February 10^th at 5PM PT

Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York

The Match-Up

The San Antonio Spurs head to Brooklyn to face the Nets Sunday and Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli could be sitting out for the second straight game. Duncan and Ginobli sat out Friday’s game versus the Pistons, and subsequently, the Spurs fell 119-109, snapping an 11 game winning streak. It’s questionable if either Duncan or Ginobli will be able to go versus the Nets.

The Brooklyn Nets have had a rough schedule recently and are just 2-3 straight up in their last 5 contests. Brooke Lopez struggled in Friday’s road loss to the Wizards, tallying 13 points on just 3/11 shooting from the field.

Betting Information

The Nets have also struggled against the spread lately, going 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games. Brooklyn is a meager 22-26 ATS overall this season (11-14 ATS at home) and just 8-15 ATS against teams with winning records.

The Spurs have won 11 out of their last 12 games straight up and are 6-5-1 ATS during that stretch. San Antonio is 28-21 ATS this season (15-12 ATS on the road). The Spurs are also an impressive 15-6 ATS versus non-conference opponents.

Concerning the total, Brooklyn is 28-22 Under (14-13 Under at home) and San Antonio is 28-23 Under (15-12 Over in road games). The Nets are 5-1 Under in Sunday games this season and 13-4 Under versus teams that score 99 points or more per game (which San Antonio does).

Subway Two-Way

ESPN published an article (OK, “blogged”) about play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico calling two games in the same day. Tirico will call the Knicks-Clippers game at 1PM and then hop on a subway to Brooklyn and call the Nets-Spurs game at 8PM (Eastern times). Poor Tirico. You mean, he’s actually going to have to work more than a few hours in a single day? Oh no, that’s not the issue.

The issue is over whether or not he gets seen on the subway. What is Tirico? Some secret agent for the President? Tirico is calling NBA games, but what he’s really doing is delivering sophisticated codes in his play-by-play diction to keep the country safe from those terrorist 5 year old floor wipers. Really!? He’s a play-by-play announcer. No one is going to attack him on the subway or crowd around for his autograph. Lets pray, however, Tirico doesn’t get curb stomped because then ESPN might have to call on… Bill Walton. Oh dear god.

Injury Report

Source: ESPN, NBC SPORTS

THE MIGHTY SPURS TAKE ON THE MEDIOCRE 76ERS

Line: San Antonio -6, Total: 196

The red-hot Spurs look for their fifth straight win when they visit the 76ers on Monday night.

San Antonio is 3-1 ATS during its win streak, shooting an impressive 52% FG and 77% FT. The Sixers are wrapping up a four-game homestand on Monday, going 2-1 (SU and ATS) so far, thanks to an offense scoring 104.7 PPG on 50% FG. The Spurs are 14-9 SU (13-10 ATS) on the road this season, while Philadelphia is 11-9 SU (9-11 ATS) at home. The Spurs have won the past three meetings in this series (SU and ATS) all by double-figures, including a 109-86 drubbing on Jan. 5 in San Antonio. The Spurs will be without SG Manu Ginobili (hamstring), while Philly will likely be missing both SG Jason Richardson (knee) and C Kwame Brown (illness). The 76ers are just 2-6 (SU and ATS) in their past eight games, allowing a hefty 103.0 PPG during this stretch. Meanwhile, San Antonio has been flashing the defense, giving up just 87.8 PPG during its four-game SU win streak. The Spurs have also been a great bet recently against teams like...

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