Phoenix Suns (8-17) v San Antonio Spurs (19-5)
Thursday 12/15/2016 7:00pm
Talking Stick Resort Arena
Fox Sports Arizona/Arizona Sports 98.7FM
Season Series – 0-0
All-Time Series – San Antonio leads 87-75
Last Matchup – February 21, 2016 San Antonio won 118-111
Suns’ Last Game – Win over New York Knicks 113-111 in OT
Spurs’ Last Game – Win over the Boston Celtics 108-101
Suns’ Scoring Averages – PTS/G: 107.1 (7th of 30) Opp PTS/G: 113.2 (29th of 30)
Spurs’ Scoring Averages – PTS/G: 103.6 (19th of 30) Opp PTS/G: 97.9 (4th of 30)
Preview
Phoenix Suns
Phoenix emerged victorious over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night after a 113-111 win in overtime. Eric Bledsoe is on a mini tear as he recorded his third consecutive 30 point game – a first for his career. Tyson Chandler recorded his second consecutive 20+ rebound game, the second time this has occurred in franchise history, after Tyson did it once last season as well…Alan Williams and rookie Tyler Ulis were recalled from the Northern Arizona Suns in the NBADL. For the Official Valley of the Suns wrap up, opinion and Trivia, read here. For more information about Williams and Ulis, read here…Phoenix is now averaging 107.1 points per game (five overtimes help with this) their highest scoring average since 2009-10 when that team averaged 110.2…They are averaging 117. over their last three games…However, their 113.2 points allowed per game (second worst in the NBA) would be the 4th worst in franchise history, and is the worst since 1986-87, a team that allowed 113.5. They do not appear to be at risk of setting a franchise low in defense. That is held by the 1969-70 team that allowed 121.1 points per game…Following four consecutive games of above team average three-point shooting attempts, 33,30,41,30, Head Coach Earl Watson’s goal of more three-point attempts is coming to fruition. Making them, however, is still their problem as over that stretch of four games, they still shot right at their normal rate. 33.5% over four games, but 33.2% average on the season still…Mainly on the back of Tyson Chandler’s two big rebounding games, the Suns have snuck back into third in the league in rebounding at 46.2 per game…Phoenix is still last in the league in assists at 18.5…Phoenix led the head-to-head series against the San Antonio Spurs from 1980 until 2012. The Spurs have now won 23 of the last 29 regular season matchups…
San Antonio Spurs
Offensively the Spurs are not in the top-10 in most shooting categories outside of shooting percentage. Their 46.6% FG% is 6th in the league; their 3Pt% of 39.8% is 3rd; and their 81.9% FT% is 2nd overall…The Spurs are the league’s best road shooting team, draining 48.1% field goals. In their last three games they are shooting 49.1%…San Antonio is 6th in the league with 23.7 per game…They are 6th overall in blocks per game at 5.6 per game…As expected in a Gregg Popovich regime, the Spurs are 8th in the league in turnovers with only 12.9, although only one turnover behind 1st overall Detroit…They are 5th overall in personal fouls with 18 per game, 7.8 fouls per game ahead of the Suns…The Suns will probably struggle scoring against the Spurs defense, which is 97.9 points per game, the 4th best in the NBA. Over the last three games, the Spurs have allowed 99.0. Most impressively, they are the league’s 2nd best defensive team on the road, allowing 98.4 points per game, behind only Utah’s 97.8 er game allowed…Concurrently, they are the 11th best opponent eFG% at 49.9%, and 7th best on the road at 49.6%…Kawhi Leonard is quietly placing himself in the MVP discussion, averaging a career high 24.7 points per game. He follows that up with 5.9 rebounds, a career high in assists with 3.1 per game, and 2.0 steals….LaMarcus Aldridge’s 16.5 points per game and 6.6 rebounds are the lowest since his rookie season in 2006-07. His 1.7 assists, .8 steals, 1.1 blocks, and 1.5 turnovers are all right around his career averages…
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