PREMIUM
**$20 TUESDAY!** Rogers' Tuesday Night ESPN SHOWCASE!
(NBA) San Antonio vs. Minnesota,
03/21/2017 5:30 PM, Score: 100 - 93
Total: 205.50 | -105.00 Under
Result: Loss
Total: 205.50 | -105.00 Under
Result: Loss
The set-up: The 53-16 San Antonio Spurs are 2 1/2 games back of the Warriors for the West's best record and will be in Minnesota tonight to take on the 28-41 Timberwolves, a team they've beaten 10 consecutive times. Minnesota was seemingly making a late-season playoff push with seven wins in 10 games from Feb. 15 through Mar. 13 but with three straight losses, Minnesota is dangerously close to sliding out of contention for the final playoff spot in the West. The T-wolves are now 4 1/2 games back of No. 8 Denver, with three teams between them and the Nuggets.
San Antonio: With the news of K.D.'s injury reverberating through the league, there were some (many?) who thought the Spurs had a good chance of catching the Warriors for the West's top record. San Antonio was able to catch the Warriors with a108-85 home win over Golden St. on Mar. 11 and a Mar. 13 win over Atlanta (at 52-14). By owning the tie-breaking edge, the Spurs were briefly the West's top seed. However, the Spurs are just 1-2 since tying Golden St. atop the standings, while the Warriors have ripped off four straight wins. Hence, the two-game deficit in the loss column and 2 1/2 game deficit, overall. PG Tony Parker (10.4 & 4.7 APG) has struggled to stay healthy but he looked like his former star self with 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting and seven assists in the team's 118-102 victory over Kings. Coach Gregg Popovich is even more pleased that PF LaMarcus Aldridge is averaging 19.3 points and eight rebounds in three games since returning from heart arrhythmia issues.
Minnesota: All losses in Minnesota's recent three-game skid have occurred on the road, with the T-wolves allowing an average of 121.0 PPG and losing by an average of 15.0 PPG. It's hard to understand just why Minnesota is 13 games below .500 with stars like Anthony-Towns (24.6 & 12.2) and Wiggins (23.0 & 4.1), as well as LaVine (18.9 ), Rubio (10.2 & 8.9 APG) and Dieng (9.8 & 7.9) plus a number of other solid NBA players. However, as Bill Parcells once famously said, "You are who your record says you are!"
The pick: Considering Minnesota is headed out for another three-game road trip after this contest (Minnesota is just 11-23 SU on the road this season),it makes this game almost a "must-win," if the T-wolves have any hopes of staying alive in the race for the No. 8 seed. The Spurs are an outstanding 27-8 SU on the road and shoot 47.3% from the floor (4th), including an NBA-best 39.5% on threes. Minnesota won't stop SA from scoring, so the desperate T-wolves will have to score to win, The Over is an 8* play.
San Antonio: With the news of K.D.'s injury reverberating through the league, there were some (many?) who thought the Spurs had a good chance of catching the Warriors for the West's top record. San Antonio was able to catch the Warriors with a108-85 home win over Golden St. on Mar. 11 and a Mar. 13 win over Atlanta (at 52-14). By owning the tie-breaking edge, the Spurs were briefly the West's top seed. However, the Spurs are just 1-2 since tying Golden St. atop the standings, while the Warriors have ripped off four straight wins. Hence, the two-game deficit in the loss column and 2 1/2 game deficit, overall. PG Tony Parker (10.4 & 4.7 APG) has struggled to stay healthy but he looked like his former star self with 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting and seven assists in the team's 118-102 victory over Kings. Coach Gregg Popovich is even more pleased that PF LaMarcus Aldridge is averaging 19.3 points and eight rebounds in three games since returning from heart arrhythmia issues.
Minnesota: All losses in Minnesota's recent three-game skid have occurred on the road, with the T-wolves allowing an average of 121.0 PPG and losing by an average of 15.0 PPG. It's hard to understand just why Minnesota is 13 games below .500 with stars like Anthony-Towns (24.6 & 12.2) and Wiggins (23.0 & 4.1), as well as LaVine (18.9 ), Rubio (10.2 & 8.9 APG) and Dieng (9.8 & 7.9) plus a number of other solid NBA players. However, as Bill Parcells once famously said, "You are who your record says you are!"
The pick: Considering Minnesota is headed out for another three-game road trip after this contest (Minnesota is just 11-23 SU on the road this season),it makes this game almost a "must-win," if the T-wolves have any hopes of staying alive in the race for the No. 8 seed. The Spurs are an outstanding 27-8 SU on the road and shoot 47.3% from the floor (4th), including an NBA-best 39.5% on threes. Minnesota won't stop SA from scoring, so the desperate T-wolves will have to score to win, The Over is an 8* play.
