Spurs favoured to extend home win streak against visiting Knicks
Published:
Daniel Coyle, American Sports Correspondent | January 8, 2016
Round-up
A pair of winning streaks will be on the line on Friday night when the New York Knicks visit the San Antonio Spurs as 14.5-point underdogs in NBA betting with Coral.
The 18-19 Knicks have won three straight and four of their past five to move within 1.5 games of the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics, who enter the weekend tied for the eighth and final playoff spot in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
New York has struggled with consistency all season, regularly alternating between lengthy winning and losing streaks, but have already surpassed their total number of wins from last season, which they finished with a 17-65 record.
Friday night’s visit to San Antonio wraps up a three-game road trip, which included visits to Atlanta and Miami, where the club posted a pair of straight up victories, pegged as 7.5-point underdogs in each.
While the Knicks have battled consistency on the scoresheet, they have performed well at Coral’s sportsbook, where they are an impressive 10-4 ATS in their past 14, including a 6-3 ATS mark in their past nine on the road.
However, they face a huge challenge against the Spurs, who ride a six-game SU winning streak into Friday night’s matchup at AT&T Center, and are a perfect 21-0 SU at home this season, extending their current regular-season unbeaten streak on home court to an impressive 30 games.
Their most recent victims were the Utah Jazz, who left town as 123-98 losers on Wednesday, with the Spurs easily covering as 13.5-point chalk.
The Spurs have averaged over 122 points per game over their past three wins, and continue to lead the Association in team defense, holding opponents to just 89.5 points per game, fueling an impressive 10-1 ATS record in their past 11 games as double-digit favourites.
San Antonio picked up a 94-84 win in a visit to the Big Apple in early November, covering as 7.5-point chalk, but have otherwise produced mixed results against the Knicks, going 3-4 SU in their last seven meetings, including just one victory in three home dates.
Miami Heat (-5.5) @ Phoenix Suns
Heat, meanwhile, will be looking to bounce back from their loss to New York when they visit the Phoenix Suns on Friday as 5.5-point favourites.
Miami’s loss to the Knicks halted a three-game SU and ATS win streak, but also extended the club’s struggle to reward loyal sports bettors as strong favourites, going just 1-6 ATS in their past seven when favoured by 5.5 or more points.
The club has enjoyed some recent road success, going 4-1 SU and ATS, both in their past five overall and as road favourites this season.
Suns are coming off a 111-102 win over Charlotte on Wednesday night which ended a nine-game SU losing streak.
It has been all downhill for Phoenix since the club opened on a 7-5 SU run, going 6-20 SU and 8-18 ATS since, recording back-to-back SU victories just once during their current swoon.
They are also a respectable 3-3 ATS in their last six, covering as big underdogs in losses to Cleveland and Oklahoma City, but have lost 13 of 14 to Miami, but have failed to cover at home against the Heat in over nine years.
Golden State Warriors (-9.5) @ Portland Trail Blazers
In other NBA betting action at Coral on Friday night, the Golden State Warriors will be gunning for their first back-to-back ATS wins in a month when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers as 9.5-point favourites.
The Warriors have won four straight, improving their NBA-best record to 33-2, but are a middling 5-6-1 ATS over their past 12, going 4-4 ATS when favoured by more than nine, and a surprising 2-2 SU in their past four road contests.
Portland has lost two straight, and three of their last four, and are a dismal 2-8 SU, 3-7 ATS, in their past 10 against GSW.
Related
Check out Coral’s US Sport section.
