The best of the west clash Monday when the Phoenix Suns visit the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in a rematch of the 2007 Western Conference semifinals.
Phoenix (17-7 SU, 10-14 ATS) sits atop the Pacific division while San Antonio (18-5 SU, 14-8-1 ATS) leads the Southwest division.
The Spurs are slim 2½-point favorites at Bovada, one of UltimateCapper’s recommended sportsbooks, and the over/under is 203.
This is the first time the teams have met since the Spurs beat the Suns in six games in last spring’s hard-fought playoff series.
In Game 4 of the series, which was won by the Suns, San Antonio veteran Robert Horry committed a flagrant foul on Phoenix star Steve Nash. Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw left the Phoenix bench briefly, and both were suspended for Game 5. Horry received a two-game suspension for his role in the incident
San Antonio won Game 5, 88-85, in Phoenix and went on to eliminate the Suns with a 114-106 victory in Game 6 in San Antonio.
During the 2006-07 regular season, San Antonio was 2-1 SU against Phoenix. The Suns have lost seven straight and 12 of their past 13 as the visitor against the Spurs.
San Antonio is 7-3 SU and 4-6 ATS against Phoenix over the past 10 games head-to-head.
Phoenix will try to get back on the winning track after a last-second loss to the surprising New Orleans Hornets on Saturday. Chris Paul scored 21 points, icing the game on a pair of free throws with 0.2 seconds left, as the Hornets edged the Suns 101-98 at New Orleans Arena.
Leandro Barbosa scored 19 points, leading six Phoenix players in double digits. Raja Bell and Grant Hill netted 17 apiece, while Amare Stoudemire finished with 16 points and eight rebounds in defeat. Two-time MVP Nash scored 12 points and dished out seven assists for the Suns, who have dropped three of their last four games overall. The Suns are 10-4 on the road this season.
San Antonio finishes up a two-game homestand tonight. Fabricio Oberto posted 21 points and 13 rebounds, as the Spurs remained perfect at home this season with a 102-91 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday at the AT&T Center.
Michael Finley also had 21 points for San Antonio, which moved to 13-0 at the AT&T Center, extending a franchise record for best home start to a season. The Spurs won despite just eight points and five rebounds from Tim Duncan, who returned from a four-game absence due to a sprained right ankle. All-Star guard Tony Parker sat out his second consecutive game against Denver due to a sprained left ankle.
