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The San Antonio Spurs opened the season with a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but it has been a dominant run ever since. The Spurs will look to exact a measure of revenge and extend their lengthy home winning streak when they host the Thunder on Saturday in the first meeting since the season-opening encounter in Oklahoma.
San Antonio opened its five-game homestand with a 109-101 victory over Chicago on Thursday to improve to 31-0 at AT&T Center this season and extend its home winning streak to 40 games dating to last season. One more victory at home will give the Spurs sole possession of the third-longest run in NBA history as they enter this one tied with the Orlando Magic of the mid-1990s and four behind the Chicago Bulls of the same era. A meeting on the back end of the homestand with the Golden State Warriors - who pulled into Friday with an NBA-record 46 straight home wins and a three-game lead on San Antonio in the Western Conference - is looming, but the Spurs must first contend with what could be an angry Thunder squad. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined for 54 points but their teammates provided little support in a home loss to Minnesota on Friday, Oklahoma City's seventh defeat in 11 games.
TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ABC
LINE HISTORY: The Spurs opened as eight point favorites at home and by early Saturday morning that line was already adjusted to -8.5. The total opened at 213 on Friday afternoon, wobbled throughout the evening, began falling overnight, and settled in at 210.5 near mid-morning on Saturday.
INJURY REPORT:
Thunder - SG D. Waiters (Questionable Saturday, personal)
SG A. Robinson (Questionable Saturday, ankle)
Spurs - No injuries to report.
COVERS POWER RANKINGS: Thunder (-9.7) - Spurs (-16.4) + home court (-3) = Spurs -9.7
DANCE TEAM WAR:
- Pick:
- Creighton
- Capper:
- Larry Ness
- Start:
- March 15, 2016 - 9:00 PM
- Offered at:
- 5dimes @ -7 -105 Creighton
- Analysis:
Creighton ranked 32nd by averaging 79.6 PPG, while offensively challenged Alabama avergaes just 66.8...
My free play is on 9:00 ET.
Creighton’s head coach (Greg McDermott) made a point early this season by noting that FIVE of his 13 scholarship players had missed practice with injuries. He even whined about the fact that the injury to Kansas State transfer Marcus Foster (even though he isn’t eligible until next year) took a good practice player off the floor, pitting a roster full of younger newcomers against each other in drills. This year marks the second season since losing 2014 NBA lottery draft pick and current Chicago Bulls forward Doug McDermott for the Bluejays. Last year hardly went well (14-19 / 4-14 in Big East),as just ONE player (Chatman) averaged in double digits at 11.5 PPG.
This year’s team saw eight players in the rotation with FOUR averaging in double digits and a fifth just missing out. Guards Watson (14.2-3.4-6.6) and Zierden (10.2) plus the 6-8 Cole Huff (11.5-4.9), a transfer from Nevada, and the 7-0 Groselle (10.7-5.8) all averaged 10 points or more. Guard Miliken (9.8) just barely missed. Creighton was effective at scoring, ranking 32nd by averaging 79.6 PPG on 46.8 percent shooting (42nd). The Bluejays take an 18-14 record into this NIT, the same as Alabama. However, the Tide are offensively challenged, averaging just 66.8 PPG (307th), as only senior guard Obasohan (17.7-3.8) is much of a scoring threat. The 6-8 Hale (10.8-2.9) is the team's second-leading scorer (but NOT much of a rebounder) and in fact, the 6-7 Norris (7.6 PPG) is the team's leading rebounder on the season averaging only 5.4 per game!
The Bluejays have dropped five of their last six contests coming into this game but Creighton has owned a STRONG home court for years, long before McDermott and Son (coach & player) arrived. In fact, prior to last year’s 9-8 home record, Creighton was 139-18 SU at home the previous NINE seasons. This year’s team rebounded to go 12-5 SU at CenturyLink Center, going 10-6 ATS in lined home games while outscoring opponents on average, 82.6-to-68.9 PPG. Lay it!
Good luck...Larry
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