Don’t look now, but the Phoenix Suns are just a game out of the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference again, riding a three-game winning streak into Tuesday’s matchup with the Washington Wizards.
The Wizards have quickly become one of the worst teams in the NBA, losing 10 straight games and ranking 25th in the NBA in net rating. The regression was always coming for Washington, who had a good record to start the season despite poor underlying statistics.
This is the second game of a back-to-back for the Suns, who dominated the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.
With Deandre Ayton back in the lineup from an ankle injury and Devin Booker potentially returning tonight, the Suns are favored at home in this matchup. Phoenix has dominated at home, going 14-3 straight up in 17 games.
On the other hand, the Wizards have been brutal on the road, losing 13 of their 16 road games.
How should we use these trends to bet on this game?
First, let’s break down the latest odds and then a pick for this matchup:
Wizards vs. Suns odds, spread and total
Wizards vs. Suns prediction and pick
There are just too many things pointing towards the Suns winning this game, and winning it easily, for me to ignore.
The Wizards have been brutal as of late, with seven of their 10 straight losses coming by six or more points. The team is just 6-8-2 against the spread on the road this season, while the Suns are 10-6 ATS as home favorites.
Booker’s status for this game would sway the line further towards Phoenix, but there’s no way I’d even consider the Wizards at this line.
Over their last 10 games, the Wizards rank 29th in the NBA in net rating, 26th in offensive rating and 27th in defensive rating.
They are one of the worst teams in the league, and have been all season based on their advanced numbers. Meanwhile, Phoenix ranks third in the league in net rating this season.
A healthy Suns team should run the Wizards out of the gym, even in the second leg of a back-to-back.
Find Peter Dewey’s full betting record here.
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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.