The Phoenix Suns hit the road and face the Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center on Tuesday, November 19, 2019.
The Suns have been surviving despite playing without big man DeAndre Ayton who is currently suspended for violating the NBA’s drug policy. Phoenix is 7-4 SU and Devin Booker have benefited playing alongside a true point guard in Ricky Rubio. The Kings were off to a rough start with five straight losses. They have slowly gotten their bearings and have won five out of their last seven games including their most recent one against the Boston Celtics where they snapped Boston’s 10-game winning streak.
The Phoenix Suns finished their six-game homestand on Tuesday with a game against the Boston Celtics. The Suns went 3-2 SU in the first five games of that stretch with their losses coming at the hands of the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. The Suns then travel to Sacramento on Wednesday for a back to back against the Kings.
Devin Booker leads the Suns in scoring at 25.5 points per game while also dishing off 5.9 assists per outing. Kelly Oubre is having a fine start at 16.9 points per game while Ricky Rubio is leading the Suns in passing and rebounding at 8.7 and 6.3, respectively. Aron Baynes has filled in nicely for the suspended DeAndre Ayton at 15.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
Phoenix is the 4th highest-scoring team in the NBA at 117.6 points per game this season. The Suns rank 28th in rebounding at 42.2 boards grabbed per contest. They are the #1 passing team in the league at 28.8 assists per outing. Phoenix is allowing its opponents to score 110.5 points per game this season.
The Sacramento Kings are the NBA betting favorites in this game and they are coming off their biggest win of the season. The Kings ended the Boston Celtics’ 10-game winning streak on Sunday to pick up their fifth win of the season. Sacramento started the year 0-5 SU but they have won five out of their next seven games played.
Buddy Hield leads the Kings in scoring at 19.9 points per game this season. Hield is coming off a season-high 35 points against the Celtics. De’Aaron Fox leads Sacramento in passing at 7.0 dimes per contest while also scoring 18.2 points per game. Richaun Holmes is Sacramento’s best rebounder at 7.7 boards grabbed per contest and he also leads the team with 1.3 blocks per game.
The Kings are 27th in the NBA in scoring at 104.4 points per game. Sacramento is ranked 27th off the glass at 42.4 rebounds per game and they are 24th in passing at 21.8 assists per game. The Kings are 18th in the league in scoring defense at 108.4 points per game allowed this season.
Phoenix is 5-2 SU in their last seven games played. The Suns are 2-1 SU in three road games played this season, 5-12 SU in their last 17 games against the Atlantic Division, and 6-13 SU in their last 19 games in November. The Kings are 3-1 SU in their last four games played. Sacramento is 3-3 SU in six home games played this season. Head to head, the Kings are 3-2 SU in their last five games played against the Suns. Sacramento is also 7-3 ATS in their last 10 home games against Phoenix.
The Suns are only 3-2 so far in their current six-game homestand with their game against the Celtics still to be played as of this writing. The last time they played on the road was on November 3 in Memphis. The Suns are playing better than the Kings this season but my concern is them playing back to back games here and traveling for the first time since the first week of the month.
The Kings were off to a slow start but the team has picked up the pace as of late with five wins in their last seven games played. Trevor Ariza has been listed as probable for this game and if he plays, he should play a big role on both ends of the floor for Sacramento. If he doesn’t suit up, the Kings have more than enough firepower to give the Suns’ problems.
Prediction: Sacramento Kings
The Suns are 9-2 ATS in their last 11 games played. Phoenix is 3-0 ATS in three home games played this season. The Kings are 7-5 ATS in a dozen games played this season. Sacramento is 3-3 ATS in six home games played this season. Head to head, the Suns are 3-1 ATS in their last four games played against the Kings. The Kings are 6-3 ATS in their last nine home games against the Suns.
Suns
+1.5 (-110)
Kings
-1.5 (-110)
Odds from SportsBetting as of 11/18/19
The Kings have outscored the Suns by an average of 2.3 points per game in their last 10 meetings but Phoenix has outscored Sacramento by an average of 2.33 points per game in their last three head to head games. This should be an exciting game between two young talented teams. The Suns have done better this season but the Kings have won five out of their last seven games and are coming off a win over Boston on Sunday. Sacramento has won their last three games played. I’ll take the home team here.
Prediction: Kings -1.5
The total has gone over in four out of the last five games played by the Suns. The over is 4-1 in Phoenix’s last five home games played. The total has gone under in eight out of the last 12 games played by Sacramento. The Kings have seen the total go under in four out of six home games played so far this season. Head to head, the under is 5-1 in the last six meetings between these two teams. The total has gone under in five out of the last seven games between the Suns and Kings in Sacramento.
Over
220.5 (-110)
Under
220.5 (-110)
Odds from SportsBetting as of 11/18/19
These teams have combined to score an average of 216.7 points per game in their last 10 meetings and 218.33 points per game in their most recent three encounters. Both teams are in the bottom half in scoring defense and the Suns are 4th in the league in scoring at 117.6 points per game. Sacramento has been a low scoring team this season but they have shown that they can oblige in a high-scoring game.
Prediction: Over 220.5
The Miami Heat look to take a 2-0 series lead against the Milwaukee Bucks in…
The New York Mets head to Yankee Stadium to open a three-game series against the…
The Minnesota Twins play Game 2 of a three-game set against the New York Yankees…
The OKC Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans meet at the Smoothie King Center on Wednesday…
The No.8 Atlanta Hawks visit the No. 7 Miami Heat in the first play-in tournament…
The OKC Thunder visit the Utah Jazz at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt…