Cooling Suns Host Roaring Thunder
Goran Dragic and Jeff Hornacek have already helped the Suns overachieve. Now it’s time to push the envelope and secure a playoff berth.
Embroiled in a battle royal of a race for playoff positions out West, the Phoenix Suns host the conference-best Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday in a matchup that has plenty riding on it.
Tip-off at US Airways Center is scheduled for 9:00 p.m. ET.
By now, the overachieving Suns have begun to show up on everybody’s radar, despite a lack of media presence in the desert. This ragtag bunch of rejects has played hard all season, while rookie head coach Jeff Hornacek shouldn’t be content with just being mentioned in Coach of the Year conversations.
Yet while this season will be considered a success for the franchise regardless of how the next five weeks play out, there’s still plenty of work to be done for a side that at the very least deserves a playoff berth.
Phoenix (35-25, 21-12 home) enters Thursday’s game against the Thunder having cooled off somewhat of late. The Suns have dropped four of the last six, and posted a 6-7 record since February 4. That may have been good enough for a side that opened the season with an over/under of 19.5 games – if you took the over, you’ve been laughing since January 4 – but this side wants, and needs, to do better.
As it stands, the Suns currently occupy the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference. Realistically speaking, the top five seeds – or at least the teams that will sit in these spots – are decided, leaving three places up for grabs. Unfortunately for one side, there are four clubs with a bona fide shot at making the postseason.
The Golden State Warriors (38-24) and Dallas Mavericks (36-26) currently sit alongside the Suns on the right side of the broken line. The Memphis Grizzlies (34-26) meanwhile have climbed out of a hole and are just one-game back, and looking perhaps the likeliest of the four to be playing late in April. As we detailed last week, the Minnesota Timberwolves (30-30) are still in the hunt, but really need to make a push now.
With the competition for playoff spots heating up, Phoenix can’t afford to lose against the Thunder.
The Suns did lose on Tuesday, falling 104-96 to the Los Angeles Clippers.  Goran Dragic, who has been on a tear this season, had 14 points and nine assists in a losing effort – the Suns’ third home loss in five games – as injuries caught up with the team.
Hornacek’s side could be shorthanded when it takes to the floor on Thursday. Leandro Barbossa injured his hand against the Clippers and could miss the next six weeks; Emeka Okafor (neck) is out. Miles Plumlee (knee) is listed as day-to-day; and Dragic is banged up.
Reinforcements may be on the way though. AZ Central is reporting that Eric Bledsoe could return in the next week. Bledsoe has been out since December 30 with a knee injury. But a week doesn’t help in Thursday’s tough contest.
Oklahoma City (46-15, 20-9 road) will make its way to the desert looking to win a fourth straight and take sole possession of the league’s best record, currently shared with the Indiana Pacers.
After working through the rust, Russell Westbrook appears to be back in top form. He recorded 13 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. Recorded in just 20:17 of playing time, it was the second fastest triple-double recorded in NBA history.
With Westbrook back and Kevin Durant continuing his MVP-like season – which he refuses to acknowledge ahead of team aspirations – the Thunder are looking dangerous again. They’re particularly dangerous on the road too.
Only the San Antonio Spurs (23-8) have recorded a better record away from home than the Thunder, while Scott Brooks’ side has won eight of its last 10 away from Chesapeake Energy Arena. The side won’t be shy heading into Phoenix either.
The Suns have not beaten the Thunder in Phoenix since March 14, 2009. To compact things further, the Suns have lost 11 straight games to the Thunder, dating back to December 19, 2010, and 13 of the last 15. Westbrook was still a rookie the last time Phoenix had any real success in the head-to-head series.
So can the Suns break the trend and record an upset victory over the Thunder?
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Phoenix Suns odds for 03/06/2014
Phoenix enters Thursday’s game as an underdog, with Oklahoma City favored by 5 or six, depending which sportsbook you bet with.
Both Phoenix (36-21-3 ATS) and Oklahoma City (34-26-1 ATS) have fared well against the spread this season. Phoenix has been particularly solid when considered the underdog, posting a 20-12-1 ATS record when not favored.
But the Suns’ recent struggles straight up have manifested in their ATS record. The side has covered just twice in the last six. Things aren’t any better in the head-to-head series; Oklahoma City has covered the spread in seven of the last nine.
However, Phoenix covered the 12.5-point spread in a losing effort when the sides met on November 3.
The over/under opened at 217 and has dropped slightly.
Both the Suns (32-27-1) and Thunder (32-29-0) have favored the over this season. The total has gone over in nine of the last 12 head-to-head meetings, but under in 13 of 19 of those played in Phoenix, leaving you plenty of food for thought.
The total (198.5) went over when the two sides met in Oklahoma City in November.
The two sides will close out the head-to-head portion of the regular season on Sunday, April 6, once more meeting at US Airways Center in Phoenix. After that, a first round playoff matchup wouldn’t be such a long shot.
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