Spurs minus 6 1/2 at Heat
No Tim Duncan. No Manu Ginobili. No problem for San Antonio. As great as Golden State is, I’m not 100 percent convinced San Antonio isn’t the best team in the NBA. No team wins by more points per game, nor plays better defense than the Spurs, who are 43-8 and have covered 19 of their last 28 games.
The Spurs are on pace to set a record win differential in part due to their outstanding depth. San Antonio wins by an average of 16.1 points at home and 10.1 points on the road. Both figures lead the league.
Some pseudo wise guys believe it’s square to lay points with a great team. Their perception is there is no value backing chalk. But unless the line is out of whack – which it isn’t here – why not get behind a proven winner?
The Spurs shouldn’t lack for motivation after getting a scare at home in their last game this past Saturday, barely beating the pathetic Lakers, 106-102. Now the Spurs head out for their annual rodeo road Trip. They play tonight in Miami then at Orlando on Wednesday before closing shop for the All-Star break. The Spurs are certainly professional and well-coached enough to focus on these matchups before going on break. The Spurs are 22-6 ATS in their last 28 games following a non-spread cover for 78 percent.
San Antonio has won six of its last eight road games with its lone two defeats during this span coming versus Golden State and Cleveland. The rest of their road contests during this time frame were all easy double-digit victories.
Opponents are averaging just 91.5 points versus the Spurs. Miami is second-to-last in scoring averaging fewer than 96 points per game. There’s a chance the Heat could be without their star center and NBA blocks leader, Hassan Whiteside. He missed practice Monday because of a lingering ankle injury.
This is just the Heat’s second home game in a row since Jan. 6. They have played 14 of their last 17 games on the road. The Spurs have won and covered the past five in the series.
(Stephen Nover cashed nearly 60 percent of his regular-season NBA plays last season and is 42-21 on his last 63 premium/free NBA plays for 67 percent.)
