The Phoenix Suns remain home on Thursday night as the Washington Wizards come to town for a matchup. Phoenix continues to be one of the betting favorites to win the NBA Championship this season, while the Wizards are in a playoff position as well.
Washington comes into Thursday night having lost three straight games, and life on the road hasn’t been too kind. The Wizards are still 15-14 on the young season, and that is much better than what they were expected to be.
Phoenix is now 22-5 on the season, and that has included an 18-game winning streak earlier this year. The Suns did suffer a loss to the LA Clippers this weekend, but they got right back on the winning side of things.
The Suns are big 8.5-point betting favorites over the Washington Wizards in this NBA showdown.
Wizards Struggling to Get Stops
The Washington Wizards might be in a playoff position at this time, but they still have some serious work to do on the defensive end of the floor. Washington has allowed at least 113 points in each of their last three games, and that’s a big reason for the three losses.
Washington is a team that has the ability to put up a ton of points, especially when they are shooting it well. It’s going to take a monster offensive game to keep up with the Suns on Thursday, especially if Washington can’t get stops.
Bradley Beal once again leads the Wizards on offense, but Kyle Kuzma has had a terrific season as well. Beal is averaging 22.7 points and 5.8 assists, while Kuzma has pulled down over eight rebounds per game.
Suns Must Shoot Well Without Booker
The Suns are going to be forced to play this game without Devin Booker, and that is going to create a real challenge on offense. Phoenix is one of the most explosive offensive teams in the NBA, but losing a player that scores over 23 points per game isn’t going to help.
Deandre Ayton and Chris Paul have been having monster seasons for the Suns as well, and they should take up a bigger role in this matchup. Ayton has been a huge force in the paint, and Paul is always capable of registering a triple-double.
The Suns have also been playing great defense this season, and that will be a key while playing without Booker. Phoenix allowed just 111 points to the LA Clippers, even though that game ended in defeat.
The Suns have been putting on a show in Phoenix all season long, and this should be another great offensive performance against a bad defensive team.
Wizards Battle But Fall Short
Phoenix is going to be playing without some stars on Thursday, and that is going to have a significant impact on the outcome. The Suns have enough depth to cover for the injured players, but those injuries are going to give the Wizards a chance on Thursday.
This has been a rough stretch for the Washington Wizards, and taking on the best team in the NBA isn’t going to help. Phoenix just continues to find ways to win, and this has been a fun season.
Take the 8.5-points and bet on the Washington Wizards to keep this game close on Thursday night. The Suns should find a way to win this one, but taking the points is the right way to go.
