NBA Double Dip Preview

It’s another light Thursday night on the NBA betting schedule with only two games on tap. In the TNT doubleheader San Antonio heads east to face Orlando in the early game, while Phoenix takes on Portland in the night cap.

The Spurs are playing on back-to-back nights after taking on New Orleans on Wednesday. Before clashing with the Hornets, San Antonio had won six straight after holding off Oklahoma City 109-104 as a 15.5-point favorite on the NBA odds on Sunday. The Spurs had a huge 26-point lead at halftime in that game before nearly blowing it late in the fourth quarter. Tony Parker led the Spurs with 22 points and Tim Duncan added 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Orlando played without center Dwight Howard for the second straight game on Monday night, but they got by without the big man and knocked off Golden State 109-98 as a 4-point favorite. In Howard’s absence Jameer Nelson scored a season-high 32 points and Rashard Lewis chipped in with 21 points and eight rebounds. Howard’s left knee injury isn’t considered serious and he expects to return on Thursday versus San Antonio.

In two games last season the Spurs were 2-0 against the Magic, winning 107-98 as a 1-point road underdog and 128-110 as a 6.5-point home favorite.

The Suns reeled off their fourth win in their last five games on Monday night with a 111-103 win over New York as an 8.5-point favorite. Shaquille O’Neal returned from a two-game layoff and the rest seemed to do him good as he scored 23 points to go along with 12 rebounds. Steve Nash delivered 21 points, and Amare Stoudemire had 21 points and 12 boards.

The Trail Blazers snapped their three-game losing streak Tuesday night with a 109-77 rout of Sacramento as a 12-point favorite on the NBA odds. Brandon Roy dropped in 29 points and LaMarcus Aldridge recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

The Blazers and the Suns clashed twice in Phoenix in November with the Suns winning and covering the spread in both contests. In their first matchup, Phoenix rolled to a 107-96 win as a 9-point favorite behind 23 points and 13 rebounds from Stoudemire. Roy led the Blazers with 20 points. In the rematch Phoenix toppled Portland 102-92 as a 5.5-point favorite. O’Neal led Phoenix with 19 points and 17 rebounds, while Roy had 26 points for Portland in the loss.