The Suns are Desperate – Phoenix vs Sacramento

Phoenix Suns (40-32 SU, 30-41-1 ATS) at Sacramento Kings (15-56 SU, 33-38 ATS)
Sunday, March 29
9PM ET

Here are some of the NBA pro basketball sports betting trends as they relate to this matchup:
(Stats good through Friday’s games)

* PHX has won six of its last seven games
* PHX has covered five of its last seven games
* PHX has played four of its last six games OVER the total
* PHX has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* PHX has covered two of its last seven road games
* PHX has played four of its last five road games OVER the total
* SAC has lost six of its last seven games SU
* SAC has covered one of its last five games
* SAC has played four of its last six games UNDER the total
* SAC has lost five of its last six home games SU
* SAC has covered two of its last six home games
* SAC has played four of its last six home games OVER the total

Also…

* PHX has won 11 of the last 12 meetings SU
* PHX has covered four of the last five meetings
* Five of the last seven meetings have gone UNDER the total
* PHX has won five of the last six meetings SU as the road team
* Four of the last five meetings in Sacramento have gone UNDER the total

Phoenix entered the weekend’s action as the #9 team in the West, three games behind the Dallas Mavericks. Since Dallas has been playing relatively well, they can’t make up any ground, and time is running out. Leandro Barbosa, the versatile guard who had scored 20 points or more in five of his first nine games in March, has sat out the last five contests with a hyper-extended knee, and he is not scheduled to come back until Wednesday.

On Thursday this team’s six-game winning streak was ended abruptly by the Portland Trail Blazers, who won by 20. A big problem for the Suns – defense – was exposed there, as Portland shot 60% from the field, thus nullifying 50% shooting by Phoenix. Going into Saturday’s matchup with Utah, Phoenix had hit 50% or better in six straight games and 16 of its last 21. Sometimes that doesn’t matter much against the better teams, who find ways to mitigate that effect. Against the lower-level teams, it’s a different story.

This is going to be a back-to-back situation for the Suns, but in the heat of this playoff race Shaquille O’Neal has not been sitting out. Against Portland, which came on the heels of a game against Utah the night before, he had 20 points and four assists.

Phoenix has had plenty of problems away from home; in fact, they had lost six of their last seven as the visitor. But Sacramento does not have a "home, sweet home" thing going for it. The Kings are just 10-25 SU and 13-22 ATS at the ARCO Arena, and they have dropped consecutive games by 12 to Philadelphia and 13 to Memphis as the host.

Phoenix comes with more quality, obviously, and the incentive issue is on their side. Another 50%-plus shooting night is likely against this Sacramento team that has allowed 48% shooting by opponents. We’ll lay the points with the Suns in the NBA pro basketball sports betting odds.

JAY’S PREDICTION:  PHOENIX BY 11 (cover)