NBA Pick: Suns -6 (-108) at Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
The Brooklyn Nets are starting to get ridiculous numbers out of Cam Thomas. Will he be able to provide the Nets with another 40-point performance against the Phoenix Suns tonight? Here’s our take on tonight’s interleague NBA matchup. Let’s see what the NBA odds tell us at the New York betting sites!
Phoenix Suns vs. Brooklyn Nets
Tuesday, February 7, 2023 – 07:30 PM EST at Barclays Center
We’re about to see plenty more Cam Thomas jerseys in the stands moving forward. The Brooklyn Nets dealt Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks and are now allowing Cam Thomas to shine as the point guard for the Nets.
Thomas added 47 points against the Clippers last night, but the Nets lost that game at home. He added 44 points in the previous game against the Wizards and helped the Nets rally from a 23-point deficit.
The more important news is that Devin Booker is returning to the Suns' starting lineup after missing months due to a groin injury. He’ll be on a minutes restriction, but it’ll be great to see him return to action before the All-Star break. Will that help the Suns prevail on the road against the Nets?
Here are our NBA picks and predictions for Tuesday’s matchup between the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets.
Will the Nets Start Spencer Dinwiddie Tonight?
Brooklyn traded for Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith when they let go of Kyrie Irving but it’s still unclear if those two will play tonight. There have been rumors that the Nets are looking to flip Dinwiddie in another package with the Toronto Raptors for Pascal Siakam. If that’s the case, the Nets won’t want to let Dinwiddie risk any injury in tonight’s game.
The Nets have been a solid defense this year. They’ve held teams to a 52.5% effective field goal percentage and have allowed 114 points per 100 possessions. They’ve struggled on the defensive glass and have fouled at a high rate.
The Suns should be able to earn a high amount of second chances against them, knowing that they earn 29.3% of offensive rebounds. Still, Phoenix has been below average in terms of points per 100 possessions and effective field goal percentage. And Booker won’t play enough to make a huge impact in tonight’s game.
Will Phoenix Continue Hot Stretch?
The Suns have won four of their last five games. They’ve held teams to 106 or fewer points in three of their last four wins. The other win came in overtime, where the Suns allowed 118.
Phoenix has held teams to 113.5 points per 100 possessions and has also kept teams to a 53.8% effective field goal percentage. The Suns are a top-ten defense in the NBA and have also earned 15.1% turnovers.
On the glass, they could be better but the Nets rarely crash the glass, earning just 21.5% of offensive rebounds. Phoenix doesn’t have to worry there. The Suns also foul at a high rate. Again, they don’t have to worry because the Nets are 25th in the NBA in free throw rate.
Still, the Nets have shot an effective field goal percentage of 58.4% this season. With Cam Thomas on the court, the Nets have a genuine scoring threat that can take over a game quickly. He’s made offense look easy over the last two games, but it’s going to be hard to continue his 40-points-per-game pace.
Prediction + Pick
The Nets have a terrific piece in Cam Thomas. He’s shooting lights out but that’s not going to last forever. Not against this Suns defense that has held teams to a meager amount of points in three of their last four games.
The Suns topped the Nets, 117-112, back on January 19. The Nets had Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons in that game but couldn’t get the job done against a Suns team that Mikal Bridges and DeAndre Ayton led. Now the Suns have Chris Paul healthy, and Devin Booker will get some minutes.
The Nets no longer have Irving, and Simmons isn’t healthy enough to play. That makes things much worse for the Nets, despite Thomas putting up ridiculous numbers. I’ll ride the Suns at -6 at home. The Nets aren’t going to keep up that scoring pace, not against the Suns. Therefore, I’d also take the under in this game.
And for a prop suggestion, I like DeAndre Ayton to dominate the glass tonight and earn Over 10.5 rebounds. The Nets are so weak on the offensive glass, which should allow Ayton much success on the defensive glass. He’ll also earn some offensive rebounds too!
NBA Pick: Suns -6 (-108) at Heritage Sports
NBA Pick: DeAndre Ayton Over 10.5 Rebounds (-135) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
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