Game: San Antonio Spurs @ Phoenix Suns
Time: 10:00 p.m.
Odds: Spurs +8.5, Suns -8.5
Total: 226
The San Antonio Spurs won spectacularly in the first of their two games against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. Tonight in Phoenix, the Spurs will try to complete a sweep in the rematch. With 1.2 seconds remaining in the game on Tuesday, Keldon Johnson stole the ball from Kevin Durant and scored on a layup to give the Spurs a 115-114 win.
That came after rookie Victor Wembanyama scored on a putback dunk to pull San Antonio within one with just 6.8 seconds to play. Durant took the ensuing inbounds pass and was waiting for Tre Jones to foul him in the right corner. That didn’t happen though, and Johnson went on to complete his game-winning heroics. Johnson finished with a season-high 27 points and the Suns finished the fourth quarter by outscoring Phoenix 33-19.
After trailing by 20 points early in the third quarter, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was happy to see that his team remained resilient. In their previous game on Sunday, the Los Angeles Clippers smoked San Antonio 123-83. The Suns, on the other hand, took their foot off the gas and allowed San Antonio to chip away at the lead.
In his fourth NBA game, Wembanyama scored eight points, grabbed eight rebounds, and had a career-high four blocked shots. On average, he scores 16.3 points, pulls down 7.5 rebounds, and blocks 2.3 shots per game.
Guards Bradley Beal (back) and Devin Booker (sprained left ankle) were sidelined for Phoenix on Tuesday. Beal is listed as out once again for tonight and Booker is questionable. Damion Lee will also miss tonight’s game for the Suns. After suffering an injury in the first game of the season, Booker would miss his fourth straight game. Beal joined the Suns in the offseason after being acquired from the Washington Wizards.
Starting guards Gordon and Grayson Allen made 9-of-16 three-pointers between them against San Antonio. While Allen connected on five treys and finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, Gordon made four and finished with 20 points and six assists.
In addition to his seven assists and 26 points on 12-of-19 shooting, Durant committed five turnovers, including the costly one at the end of the game. During the three games that Booker has missed, Durant has averaged 30.3 points.
Before their unlikely victory on Tuesday, San Antonio had lost nine straight games against Phoenix. The Spurs haven’t done well on the road either. They are 1-1 so far this year, but going back to last year San Antonio is just 4-16 SU in its last 20 road games. The Spurs have had issues against the number too, covering the spread just five times in their last 20 games.
Tuesday’s game went Over the total, which was just the second time that has happened in the last seven Spurs-Suns games. The Under is 4-2 in the Suns’ last six games. The Spurs have seen the Over hit in six of their last seven. That is due to poor defense. So far in 2023, the Spurs are allowing over 121 points a game. That ranks 29th in the NBA.
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